Health authorities in Nigeria’s commercial city of Lagos State have confirmed its first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) and reported it to the Federal Ministry of Health.
Nigeria on Friday announced the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa.

“The case is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on the 25th of February 2020,” Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said in a statement on Twitter.

“The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.”

In a release singed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health Prof Akin Abayomi on behalf of the governor Jide Sanwo-Olu, “this an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on the 25th of Feburary from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit.

“He fell ill on the 26th February and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing.

“COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.

“The Government of Lagos State under the governor as the COVID-19 Incident Commander, through the Lagos State Ministry of Health, has been strengthening measures to ensure that any outbreak in Lagos is controlled and contained quickly in collaboration with the multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“We have immediately activated the State Emergency Operations Centre to respond to this case and implement firm control measures.

“I wish to assure all Lagosians and Nigerians that we have been strengthening our preparedness since the first confirmation of cases in China. We will use all the resources made available by the state and the Federal Government to respond to this case.

“We are working to identify all the contacts of the patient, since he arrived in Nigeria. Please, be reminded that most people who become infected may experience only a mild illness and recover easily, but it can be more severe in others, particularly the elderly and persons with other underlying chronic illnesses”, the state ministry of health noted.

Citizens were advised to stay indoors if they feel unwell with symptoms, such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

They were urged to call Lagos State Emergency hotlines 08023169485 or 08033565529 or 08052817243 which are available day and night.

The Conservator-General (C-G) of the National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni has condemned the maltreatment of a stray manatee, an animal found in Delta State, describing it as cruel and barbaric.

Goni made the condemnation in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Media Assistant to the C-G, Yakubu Zull.

He said the herbivorous animal otherwise known as Sea Cow, was seen in a trending video being dragged on the ground in a street in Delta state by some youths.

The C-G said that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified them as vulnerable in the Union’s red-list of threatened species in the World.

He also said that Nigeria’s Endangered Species Amendment Act of 2016 also prohibits the hurting of such species of animals.

“It’s illegal to hunt, capture or trade Manatee in Nigeria, they are endangered species and therefore should be protected as part of our environment.

“The animal was tied and being dragged hard by some people while it struggled, which was really cruel and barbaric”, he said.

He, however, called on the Delta State government to investigate the incidence, arrest and prosecute those behind the cruel act.

“They should be punished so that it would serve as a deterrent to others. The amendment act provides for the punishment of any such offender”.

He also called for more awareness campaign in the State and the coastal regions across the nation to educate the people on the need to protect endangered species.

“We need a total reorientation of the general public on the need to respect environmental laws, for the good of the environment and humanity.

“Such rare, wild animals are treasured animals and of utmost importance all over the world and special care must be taken to protect them because of their biodiversity and ecological value, to Nigeria and the World at large.

“We must all work together to manage our wildlife to ensure that they do not go extinct, as a result of over-exploitation”, he said.