The Nigerian government is ramping up its level of preparedness and has included a vast system to its port health service unit alert for screening following the outbreak of Coronavirus, which has risen sharply in China.
The novel Coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV, mostly in Central Chinese city of Wuhan, has left at least nine deaths and 440 cases of infection have been confirmed.
However, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is currently coordinating a multi-sectoral technical group that is assessing and managing the risk of its importation to Nigeria, as the disease has already spread abroad, with cases in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United State.
“The recent emergence of a novel Coronavirus in Wuhan, China, and its spread to other countries within weeks reminds us of the threat infectious diseases pose to all countries,” Chikwe Ihekweazu, CEO of NCDC, wrote on his tweeter handle — @Chikwe_I tweeted
In light of the rapid spread of the virus, “through the risk of spread to nigeria is moderate according to World Health Organisation (WHO), we remain at alert and continue to strengthen preparedness,” he tweeted.
The first case of a novel (new) Coronavirus (2019nCoV) strain was confirmed in China on January 7, 2020. According to preliminary investigations, most patients either visited or worked in the Huanan Seafood wholesale market, Wuhan city.
A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain of the virus that has not been previously identified in humans. Some coronaviruses can be transmitted from person to person, usually after close contact with an infected patient, for example, in a household or health care setting. Several known Coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.
However, the NCDC advised Nigerians in a statement released Wednesday to remain calm, stating that travellers from Nigeria to Wuhan, China, were advised to avoid contact with sick people, animals (alive or dead), and animal markets.
The agency noted that travellers from Wuhan to Nigeria might be asked questions upon arrival by the port health services unit at points of entry about symptoms of illness and travel history, and are advised to report immediately to NCDC if they feel ill after a trip to Wuhan.
In the same vein, Lagos State government has put residents at red alert, saying it is also ramping up its preparedness against a possible infiltration of the Novel Coronavirus considering the large commercial trading traffic involving Nigeria, China and Thailand where the outbreak of the deadly virus has claimed lives.
The commissioner said although no case of the virus had been identified or reported in Lagos or Nigeria, the relevant agencies of the state are collaborating with Federal Airport Authority of Nigerian (FAAN) on screening and surveillance of persons arriving Nigeria from abroad.
The commissioner advised citizens travelling from South East Asia or any country where the infection had been reported or who had had contact with travellers from that region and experiencing above outlined symptoms associated with the disease to go to the nearest health facility for immediate assessment and treatment or call 08023169485, 08033565529 or 08052817243 for assistance.
“We are in touch with NCDC in Abuja to align our strategies. Importantly, we are also collaborating with the Federal Ports Authority at air, land and sea border posts to elevate screening and surveillance of incoming travellers,” Akin Abayomi, the state commissioner for health, said.
The commissioner said the Lagos State Biosecurity team in collaboration with Lagos University Teaching Hospital was currently working on building urgent capacity to identify the virus in our Biosecurity facility and isolation wards located at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba in the event of any suspected case arriving in the state.
Abayomi urged citizens to adopt and practice high standard of personal and environmental hygiene including regular hand washing, covering of mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing, and practice good biosecurity precautions with domestic and wild animals as measures against the transmission of any kind contagious infection, nCoV inclusive.
Meanwhile, healthcare workers are always advised to observe standard infection prevention and control measures when attending to patients and take a travel history.
As the situation is evolving, this advisory will be updated as more information becomes available.
Furthermore, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) steps are being taken to checkmate any infiltration of passengers who may be carrying the deadly virus.
Already, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in an advisory released two days ago enjoined travellers and airport users to comply with all quarantine procedures and submit themselves for routine quarantine checks whenever they are asked to at the nation’s airports.
Victoria Shin Aba, regional manager, South West FAAN, who gave a breakdown of activities meant to control the coronavirus if detected, said at the Port of Entry (MMIA) primary screening was ongoing.
According to Shin Aba, the airport authority along with health personnel are monitoring the temperature of all arriving passengers as well as carrying out enhanced visual observation for obvious signs of communicable disease.
She stated that passenger with any of the following: Fever – Temperature above or equal to 38 degrees Celsius, jaundice, skin rash, persistent diarrhoea, persistent cough or difficulty in breathing, complains of headache, neck stiffness; decreased consciousness, lethargy, unexplained bleeding, as well as persistent vomiting were referred to secondary screening
Passengers who are referred to secondary screening, where the secondary screening form is used and if there is an obvious public health threat, the passenger is transferred to the designated hospital (Lagos State Mainland Hospital) following appropriate protocols (SOP) for further evaluation.
Explaining further, Wilfred Haggai, a top staff at Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said the areas for enhanced surveillance were at the Point of Entry, on board the aircraft, at the Passenger Handling Service on the arrival queue, within the terminal building and within 400m radius of the POE.
Another area for surveillance is outside the POE, as at the state and LGA Level, health facilities must be informed to always take travel history of patients and the state must do a lot of work with the health facilities.
Shin-Aba said passengers exposed might be in the incubation period (disease causing organism present in the body with no obvious symptom or sign) when they enter the country. Like in the case of Duncan when he entered United States with Ebola in 2014.
Thus mooted collaboration and observance of basic infection prevention and control measures by stakeholders is important and is being strengthened.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH, JOSHUA BASSEY, & IFEOMA OKEKE
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