The Italian that brought Coronavirus to Nigeria has fully recovered and has been discharged. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the Italian tested negative to the virus twice and was thus allowed to go home.
On the same day, the Nigerian government announced the inclusion of Austria and Sweden on the list of countries affected by the coronavirus travel ban, while the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, stated that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja might eventually be shut, as part of measures to contain the virus.
The number of people who have died as a result of the coronavirus pandemic globally has now exceeded 10,000, with more than 232,000 infected in 158 countries and territories, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) tally based on official data, as at yesterday morning.
“You can quote me, he has been discharged. He is now clean of the virus,” the governor told THISDAY.
The Italian, Nigeria’s index case of coronavirus, flew into the country from Milan on February 24.
He had lodged at a hotel close to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, before moving to Ewekoro in Ogun state, the next day, for a job at the cement company in the town.
He fell sick on the third day of his stay in the country and tested positive for the disease two days after.
In total, 10,080 deaths have been reported, most of them in Europe (4,932) and Asia (3,431). Italy is the worst affected country with 4,032 fatalities, followed by China with 3,248, the initial epicentre of the outbreak, and Iran with 1,433.
The virus can cause respiratory failure, particularly in the elderly.
The number of infections and deaths in the rest of the world has surpassed those in China, which appears to have staunched the virus with strict measures including a complete quarantine of Wuhan since January.
As the toll surged in Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the national lockdown, which had been copied around Europe, would be extended beyond April 3.
Italy yesterday reported a record 627 new deaths from coronavirus and saw its world-leading toll surpass 4,000 despite government efforts to stem the pandemic’s spread.
The Mediterranean country’s daily death rate is now higher than that officially reported by China at the peak of its outbreak around Wuhan’s Hubei province.
Italy’s previous one-day record death toll was 475 on Wednesday.
Italy has seen more than 1,500 fatalities from COVID-19 in the past three days alone.
It has now recorded the five highest one-day tolls officially registered around the world.
Italy’s total number of deaths now stands and 4,032. Infections rose by nearly 6,000 to 47,021.
The nation of 60 million currently accounts for 36.6 per cent of the world’s coronavirus deaths.
“There are so many people walking around who have the virus and who are at risk of infecting others,” Matteo Bassetti, the director of the infectious diseases department at Genoa’s San Martino clinic, told Italy’s AGI news agency.
“The 40,000 cases we are talking about could actually be 100 times higher.”
The Italian government intends to extend a ban on public gatherings and the shutdown of almost all businesses past their March 25 deadline.
Regional leaders and city mayors are urging the Italian government to adopt even tougher restrictions such as a ban on outdoor exercises and the closure of all stores on Sundays.
France also mooted extending its two-week lockdown ordered this week by President Emmanuel Macron, as the interior minister blasted “idiots” who flout home confinement rules and put others at risk.
In Argentina, President Alberto Fernandez announced a “preventative and compulsory” lockdown from yesterday to March 31, while Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state will close its famed beaches as well as restaurants and bars for 15 days to try to contain the pandemic.
The disease continued to hit high-profile figures with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, Monaco’s Prince Albert II and at least a half-dozen NBA players in the United States among those testing positive.
Countries are taking increasingly drastic steps to stem infections, with Australia and New Zealand banning non-residents from arriving.
The United States warned against international travel due to the pandemic and advised citizens to come home if possible.
Britain closed dozens of London Underground stations and shut down schools.
The EU closed its borders to outsiders and in many countries bars, restaurants and most shops have closed their doors until further notice.
Spain, which is on a near-total lockdown, on Thursday ordered all hotels to close immediately.
Spain has postponed formal funerals and wakes for coronavirus victims in the worst affected areas of Madrid and Barcelona.
Elena Guijarro, a 25-years-old physiotherapist from the capital, was been forced to bury her father while her mother and brother are still ill in hospital being with the virus.
