Four new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Lagos states with the total figures of coronavirus patients in Nigeria rising to 12.
Commissioner for Health in the state, Akin Abayomi announced the new cases in Ikeja, the state capital.
Abayomi disclosed that 14 people were tested but four tested positive for the coronavirus adding that one of the new index cases had contact with the third confirmed case in Nigeria.
The commissioner said one of the patients, a Nigerian female, came into Lagos on Saturday, March 14, 2020, in a Turkish airline TK1830.
A Nigerian man in his 50s who never travelled anywhere is among the new four cases, Abayomi said.
He said the last patient is a Nigerian male who arrived the country in a Lufthansa (airline) LH568 on Friday, March 13, 2020.
Abayomi said the patients have been isolated for treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.
The commissioner, however, said more tests are being carried as there is a “combination of imported cases and local transmission. The Executive of Lagos State is meeting on the next stage of social distancing.
“The best way to slow the rate is to halt the movement of the virus from person to person,” Abayomi said.
“Currently, we are following over 1,300 people right now to find information about the state of their health and the number is increasing.”
He appealed to people on the two flights to self-isolate themselves and contact the government.
Meanwhile, states across the country are taking various measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
In Benue State, the government has ordered closure of all schools from Friday.
Briefing journalists after the State Executive Council Meeting on Wednesday, Commissioner for Education, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, said all schools in the state had been directed to conclude examinations on or before March 27 and proceed on holiday.
The Commissioner urged schools to ensure that physical contact is restricted before the end of the examinations.
In Ogun state, the government placed ban on high-density gatherings affects all schools- whether they are public or privately run, as well as all religious activities in the state.
It said this is due to the global spread of the Coronavirus, which resulted in the recent ban of all high-density gatherings in the state.
Consequently, all schools in the State will remain closed indefinitely after school hours on Friday, March, 20.
A statement made available by Kunle Somorin, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Dapo Abiodun, stated that, “all religious centres and activities including regular and special services that bring together fifty (50) or more persons in the same place are banned, with immediate effect.”
“These measures will be reviewed at regular intervals in response to the development surrounding the Coronavirus disease.
“The Government, therefore, enjoins all parents and guardians who have their children and wards in any boarding facility within the State to immediately evacuate them and return them to their respective homes at the close of schools on Friday, March 20th, 2020,” he added.
“Dapo Abiodun thankfully acknowledges and appreciates religious leaders for their advice, understanding solidarity and support, as we jointly search for solution to the pandemic and for their cooperation to observe all safety measures in the overall interest of our State and common humanity.”
Also states in North-West have closed down all schools in the region for 30 days. The Katsina state Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State announced the decision in a communique at the end of a meeting of governors in Kaduna.
He said that measures shall be taken in each of the states in consultation with examination bodies to close schools for a period of 30 days starting from Monday, March 23, 2020.
In addition, he said the affected states shall carry out sensitisation campaigns to discourage large gatherings while encouraging citizens to uphold personal and environmental hygiene.
States in the region include Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
