No Coronavirus in Nigeria, says NEC; but Senate frowns at shoddy ports’ screening

11 suspected cases of Coronavirus, including one that set social media agog in Lagos over a Chinese admitted into Reddington Hospital, have turned out negative, according to the National Economic Council (NEC)
Speaking for the council, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, told journalists in Abuja, “In fact, there was a scare in Lagos yesterday (Wednesday), about two cases, but all have been confirmed negative as we speak.
“But Nigeria still places itself on high risk, as also advised by the World Health Organisation. So, what are the federal and all the states are doing? We are looking at all the international airports that we have as major entry points.
“They are Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt. The alertness in each of these airports is very high.”
But the Senate appears not pleased with arrangements on ground for screening those coming into the country.
Following a report by a Senator on the lackadaisical handling of incoming passengers, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, berated federal health officials for their unseriousness.
Said Senator Ajayi Borrofice, “There is no form of any screening of passengers for Coronavirus by Nigerian officials at the airport.
“It is worrisome, situations where travellers coming into the country were not dully screened for the dreaded virus.”
Boroffice disclosed that when he came into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, passengers were not screened other than been given forms to fill to state if they were sick or not.
An angry Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, mandated the relevant Senate Committee to liaise with the Ministry of Health to correct the anomaly
He added, “We must take all the necessary measures at our ports, airports, seaports, to protect our people.
“If anybody is coming from China, he should be quarantined not even isolation for two weeks or four weeks, we have to protect the lives of Nigerians,” he added.
However, in a presentation to the National Exeutive Council (NEC), the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, assured of the country’s readiness to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), saying a multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group has been established, in addition to four diagnostic testing facilities that are ready at National Reference Laboratory in Abuja, LUTH in Lagos, Irrua in Edo State and Redeemer’s University in Osun State.
According to a statement from the Office of the Vice President, the Minister briefed on the efforts of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Lassa Fever.
He said “103 confirmed cases and 13 deaths reported from 18 States (Ondo, Ebonyi, Edo, Bauchi, Plateau, Benue, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kastina, Kogi, Sokoto, Taraba, Delta, Rivers, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Lagos).  Of the confirmed cases 72% are from Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi states,” noting however, that there is a decline in the number of new cases in Benue.
On the efforts at addressing Lassa fever, the Health Minister said National Multi-Sectoral Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) has been activated while state Health EOCs are activated in affected states, adding “intensive sensitization of the public on safety measure needs to be carried out.”