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WHO has released a scary coronavirus update.
NewsOne Nigeria reports that the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that the new coronavirus outbreak can now be characterised as a pandemic.
This burgeoning online news platform reports that the head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, made this comment in Geneva.
“COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.
“We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus.”
At the briefing, the WHO Chief said the spread of the coronavirus is frightening.
Coronavirus a pandemic – WHO
“The spread and severity of the deadly new coronavirus, which has infected more than 110,000 people and killed more than 4,000, is “alarming”.
“We’re deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction”, he added.
Meanwhile, this is coming two days after Coronavirus in Nigeria took a new twist with the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, announcing a second confirmed case of Coronavirus in the West African country.
NewsOne Nigeria reports that the victim had contact with the Italian that brought coronavirus to Nigeria. The victim was said to be one of those under isolation.
This online news platform understands that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control confirmed this in a tweet on Monday.
The development came after the Federal Ministry of Health on Friday morning, February 28, confirmed the first case of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial city.
Nigeria’s minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, confirmed the case in a statement issued in the early hours of Friday, February 28, 2020, saying that the case involves an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and just returned from Milan, Italy on the 25th of February 2020.
Coronavirus in Nigeria: see list of affected countries
This online news platform understands that the statement said the Italian was confirmed to be positive by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The Ministry of Health in Lagos State confirmed its first case of COVID-19 and reported it to the Federal Ministry of Health. The ministry, however, noted that the patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.
The Commissioner for Health in Lagos, Prof Akin Abayomi broke the news in a statement released early on Friday, saying: “The case, which was confirmed on the 27th of February 2020, is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the outbreak in China in January 2020.”
“The case is an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on the 25th of February from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit. He fell ill on the 26th February and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.
“The Government of Lagos State under the Governor as the COVID-19 Incident Commander, through the Lagos State Ministry of Health, has been strengthening measures to ensure that any outbreak in Lagos is controlled and contained quickly in collaboration with the multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). We have immediately activated the State Emergency Operations Centre to respond to this case and implement firm control measures.
“I wish to assure all Lagosians and Nigerians that we have been strengthening our preparedness since the first confirmation of cases in China. We will use all the resources made available by the State and the Federal Government to respond to this case.
“We are working to identify all the contacts of the patient since he arrived in Nigeria. Please, be reminded that most people who become infected may experience only a mild illness and recover easily, but it can be more severe in others, particularly the elderly and persons with other underlying chronic illnesses. All Lagosians should take care of their health and maintain hand and respiratory hygiene to protect themselves and others, including their own families,” the statement added.
