The first case of coronavirus in Nigeria, an Italian who came into the country from Milan on February 24, 2020, has recovered.
He had tested negative said the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi.
The commissioner however said another test would once again be conducted and if he was negative, he would be discharged.
His words: “The index case is now negative. The only reason he is still with us is because he needs two negative tests but he is ready and anxious to go.”
The news of his recovery was announced at a press conference addressed by the commissioner on Thursday in Lagos.
Last week, 149 persons quarantined as a result of their contact with the Italian were discharged.
Abayomi said they had shown no sign of the virus.
He said they had passed the mandatory 14 days in isolation without the symptoms of coronavirus.
Said he: “The remaining contact in Ogun and Lagos states remain symptom-free and they have exceeded 14 days surveillance which means that we have been able to interrupt the transmission between the index case and others. The index case and its threat to Nigeria has been eliminated.
“Those isolated in Ogun State have been discharged, in Lagos, we will not follow up the contacts again because none of them has developed symptoms. We are discharging all. We believe that by being extremely aggressive, we will curtail the outbreak.”
He had then given indication that the Italian who is the first case would soon be discharged.
“He is perfectly well now. We are only keeping him because he still has some secretion of the virus. Test shows that anytime from now, he may be negative.
“If he is negative, we will conduct another test within 48 hours after and if he is still negative, we will set him free.
“We are close to discharging the index case, we want to be sure he poses no danger to the society anymore,” he said.
