COVID-19: We’re monitoring 8,881 passengers, says NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it is monitoring 8,881 “passengers of interest” in relation to COVID-19.

This was contained in its situation report dated April 5, 2020.

The report is the 37th in the series, following confirmation of the first coronavirus case in Nigeria on February 27, 2020.

“The National EOC is working with affected State EOCs to identify contacts of the new confirmed cases. A cumulative total of 8881 passengers of interest (POI) identified and being monitored,” it read.

The report, which specifically states that the data is “as at 12 midnight on 05/04/2020”, also takes into account the eight new cases announced on Sunday night.

Of the 232 confirmed cases captured in the report, “101 (44%) have travel history to high risk countries, 35 (15%) are contacts of known confirmed cases and 96 (41%) of cases have incomplete epidemiological information. 70% are males, 27% are female, 3% have incomplete epidemiological information. Age group most affected are 31-50 (39%).”

Nigeria recorded its first case of the disease on February 27 following the arrival of an Italian from Milan.

The patient had moved from Lagos to Ewekoro in Ogun state, where he fell sick and was tested for the disease.

He was subsequently admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos and discharged after three weeks of receiving treatment.