Cross River State authorities have confirmed a new case of COVID-19, assuring residents that swift measures are already in place to prevent any wider spread.
The announcement was made in Calabar on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, during a media briefing.
He disclosed that the patient is a 53-year-old Chinese national employed by Lafarge in Akamkpa Local Government Area.
According to Ayuk, the individual entered Nigeria on March 17 and began showing symptoms weeks later.
His condition worsened while receiving care at a government facility, leading to his transfer to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where samples were taken and the infection was confirmed.
No Cause For Alarm
Despite the diagnosis, Ayuk noted that the patient is responding well to treatment.
He reassured the public that the state’s healthcare system is equipped to manage such cases effectively, stressing that there is no cause for panic.
He explained that officials delayed the public announcement until all verification processes and safety protocols had been completed, emphasising the government’s commitment to transparency and accuracy.
Also speaking, the State Epidemiologist, Inyang Ekpenyong, said emergency response structures have been activated.
She confirmed that contact tracing efforts are ongoing, with rapid response teams already deployed to Akamkpa to identify and monitor anyone who may have been exposed.
Preliminary Findings
Ekpenyong pointed out that the state had not recorded a COVID-19 case since 2022, adding that preliminary findings suggest the infection may have been acquired locally.
She highlighted that the patient’s symptom onset fell outside the typical two-to-fourteen-day incubation window after arrival in Nigeria.
While acknowledging that completely eliminating the virus may not be possible, she stressed that containing its spread remains achievable through coordinated public health actions and timely intervention.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation’s State Coordinator, Yewande Olatunde, urged residents to remain cautious, reminding the public that COVID-19 still poses a health risk and that preventive measures should not be ignored.
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Health officials say surveillance has been intensified across the state as authorities work to contain the situation and prevent further transmission.