A driver who tested positive for Coronavirus is said to have driven an American suspected to have contracted COVID-19 and his caregiver, all the way from the Muritala Mohammed International Airport Lagos down to Ado-Ekiti.
According to a statement by the Ekiti State government, the driver whose identity was not revealed picked his passengers from the airport on the 3rd of March 2020.
From the airport, they headed down to Ibadan where they spent two weeks before proceeding to Ekiti.
In its communique on Wednesday, the Ekiti State Government revealed that the 38-year-old driver who is of Ekiti origin was infected while driving an American Caucasian, male, 27 years old, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, USA in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female Age 31, also of Ekiti origin.
Preliminary investigations revealed the American male and his Nigerian female caregiver stayed in Ibadan for two weeks and arrived Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on the 13th of March 2020.
A day after their arrival, the American male fell ill and he was taken to a private hospital where he was referred to a tertiary hospital. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his illness.
The hospital authorities alerted the State Taskforce and samples were taken from the American male as well as his two companions.
The test for the male driver came back positive; the test for the female caregiver came back negative while the test for the American male was inconclusive.
Quarantine and Contact Tracing Efforts
In line with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols, the Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19 says it has already quarantined the confirmed case on admission in the State Isolation Centre, while the caregiver who tested negative, is presently under observation in self-isolation.
The Taskforce says it has also commenced the process of contact tracing, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) following the team’s itinerary since they landed in Nigeria on the 3rd of March 2020.
According to the communique, the Ekiti State Government has also contacted the Oyo State Government since it was recorded that the driver and his passengers stayed in Ibadan for two weeks before arriving at Ekiti State.
Progress report
The Ekiti State Government says the confirmed case is very stable and not showing any symptoms while the NCDC will repeat the test for the caregiver who is also in self-isolation.
Also, the Ekiti State Task Force on COVID-19 says it is following the NCDC Case Management Protocols with diligence and urges Ekiti residents to stay calm and ensure they observe the prevention steps that are being publicized on all credible media.
The government notes that this likely index case was on a short visit and had not been in Ekiti State for up to 72 hours before his death.
Residents are advised to continue to take self preventive measures by washing their hands with soap and water, covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, observing social distancing and to alert the authorities of any suspected case by calling the 112 Emergency Number or 09062970434, 09062970435, 09062970436.
The Government of Ekiti State says it will continue to update the public on new developments as necessary in its commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all Ekiti residents.
Source: Channels TV
