…So far, there are no known cases in Nigeria
… The virus is identified as a new type of coronavirus
… The death toll in China has risen to 41
…Ten countries have all confirmed cases
SAT, JAN 25 2020-theG&BJournal– A close source at the Federal Ministry of Health told theG&BJournal today that the Federal Government’s public health advisory to Nigerians on novel Coronavirus disease is still in place and efforts will continuously be made to update Nigerian travellers on the trends of the deadly epidemic.
So far, there are no known cases in the country but the Federal Government Thursday put the Port Health Services unit of the Federal Ministry of Health on alert and heightened screening measures at the points of entry and advised Nigerians to remain calm.
‘’Travellers from Nigeria to Wuhan, China are advised to avoid contact with sick people, animals (alive or dead), and animal markets,’’ the Federal warned in a statement.
The death toll in China has risen to 41 and the country is rushing to build a multi-purpose hospital to contain the spread of the disease. Much of Chinese cities have been put on lock down by the Chinese government. It is reported that the disease has infected more than 1,300 worldwide but it is speculated that the figure could be far more than that.
Officials of the Nigeria’s health ministry said travellers from Wuhan may be asked questions upon arrival by the port Health Services Unit at point of entry about symptoms of illness and travel history, and are advised to report immediately to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), if they feel ill after a trip to Wuhan. NCDC is the government agency with the mandate to lead the prevention, detection, and control of communicable diseases. Its functions are to prevent, detect, investigate and control communicable diseases of national and international public health importance.
According to the Federal Government, the NCDC is currently coordinating a multi-sectoral technical group that is assessing and managing the risk of importance to Nigeria and noted that the NCDC is in close communication with the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is closely monitoring the situation globally.
The NCDC has also issued contact points as they continue to monitor the development. Nigerians can reach the NCDC on toll free number: 080097000010| SMS: 08099555577| WhatsApp: 07087110839| Twitter/Facebook: @NCDCgov| Email: info@ncdc.gov.ng
Meanwhile, hunt is on in the UK, a country frequently and mostly visited by Nigerians, for 2,000 people who flew in from Wuhan in last two weeks as France declares three cases and first British patient to be tested reveals treatment in ‘spaceman suits’.
Reports say two patients have tested positive and are hospitilised in Paris France and the other patient in Bordeaux.
China’s National Health Commission said in the early hours of Saturday that the latest tally of the number of people infected with a new virus has risen to 1,287 with 41 deaths. According to the Commission, the latest tally from 29 provinces across China reveal 237 patients are in serious condition. All 42 deaths so far have been in China, including 39 in Hubei province, the known epicentre of the outbreak, one in Hebei and one in Heilongjiang.
In the United States two persons are confirmed to be infected as 63 people with the symptom are tested nationwide including four in New York.
THE DISEASE
The virus is identified as a new type of Coronavirus. Coronavirus are a large family of pathogens, most of which cause a mild respiratory infections such as common cold. They can be deadly and can kill instantly. SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, is cause by Coronavirus. The disease killed 774 people in China and affected 8,000 in the early 2000s. Health experts say the symptoms are typically fever, cough and trouble breathing.
Leading US health experts predicted three months ago that the disease could kill tens of millions of people before the recent outbreak in China. According to health reports, scientists at the prestigious John Hopkins Center for Health Security modelled a hypothetical pandemic on a computer as part of research last October. The simulation predicted 65 million people from every corner of the earth world be wiped out in just 18 months.
So far the US, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Nepal have all confirmed cases.
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