As Nigeria released the cheering news that six patients being treated for coronavirus have recovered in Lagos, it reported that more than 4,370 persons, who had contacts with the patients are being trailed.
Mr. Tunde Ajayi, the Special Assistant to Lagos state governor on health, said via Twitter on Thursday that the patients would soon be discharged. Two other patients had earlier been treated and discharged.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, 56 cases were confirmed in the country as of 11:25 pm on March 25.
Nigeria also restated that 76-year-old President Muhammadu Buhari tested negative and presently in good health.
Information and culture minister Lai Mohammed said on Thursday that Buhari was not coughing as being speculated by distractors, saying that Buhari was steering the ship of the country properly.
“We have 4,370 people of interest whom we are tracing. We urge those who have had contact with suspected cases to immediately report to the authorities. We urge Nigerians to support the authorities in this regard.
“We are on the verge of reaching the level of community spread. We must stop this immediately or we will record exponential cases in the days ahead. There is no better way to say this,” he said.
He explained that some Nigerian returnees submitted wrong addresses.
“Let me say, without mincing words, that we are not getting the kind of cooperation that this moment deserves from Nigerians. Many are busy engaging in meaningless criticisms instead of complying with the stipulated directives to keep people safe.
”Some Nigerians, who flew into the country from overseas filled wrong addresses and phone numbers in their forms, making it difficult to trace them when the need arises,’’ he said.
According to him, many Nigerians defied orders to self-isolate and maintain social distancing.
“The government is doing its best, but we need the citizens to do their best too. We have now gone past the stage of persuasion. It’s time for strong enforcement,” the minister said.
MM/GIK/Dng/APA