Nigeria’s Health Minister on Monday recorded its second case of coronavirus. The unidentified patient is connected to the index case of February 27 involving an Italian in Lagos State. The current case is traced to Ogun State.
Authorities have stressed that the patient has been put in isolation as tracing of other possible contacts continue.
Africa recorded no cases over the weekend except for South Africa that recorded two more cases. Other African countries affected in WHO African region include Senegal (4), Cameroon (2), Algeria (20), Togo (1), South Africa (3).
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Health confirmed over the weekend that an Ethiopian resident in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, had tested positive for the disease.
Meanwhile, PM Abiy Ahmed on Monday met with the COVID-19 Ministerial Committee to assess status of preparedness tasks undertaken nationally. Minister Tadesse provided a report on related activities since the announcement of COVID-19.
Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged a donation from Africa’s richest man towards the country’s preparedness towards the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Hand in hand, standing shoulder to shoulder, we can confront our challenges as a country. This is a path for us all to follow as a people,” Buhari said in a statement.
The Aliko Dangote foundation, ADF, earlier in the week announced a 200 million naira donation to fight the virus in Nigeria. The country currently has only a confirmed case of an Italian national who arrived in Lagos weeks back.
A major chunk of the donation, N124million, was earmarked to support facilities to help prevent, assess and respond to health events at Point of Entry to ensure National Health Security.
“The donation was part of the Foundation’s cardinal objective of partnering with governments at all levels against the dreaded disease in Nigeria and the rest of Africa,” a top official of the foundation said.
source: africanews.com
