By Kelvin Osa Okunbor
The Lagos State Government says no cases of the novel Coronavirus (nCoV) have been identified in Lagos or Nigeria.
It said it has increased preparedness against the virus.
Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi, who spoke on Thursday in Lagos, said the state was ramping up its level of preparedness, considering the large commercial trading traffic between Nigeria, China and Thailand.
Abayomi said in a statement that the virus was currently raging in China and had been reported in some countries, including U.S., which had caused no fewer than nine deaths.
The coronaviruses are large family of viruses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Read Also: China advises against travel to Wuhan as coronavirus deaths surge
The common signs and symptoms of the infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing.
In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
Abayomi said: “As at January 22, 471 cases have been confirmed in South East Asia and U.S. with nine deaths.
“There is evidence now that the infection is able to spread from person to person.
“The Lagos State Biosecurity Team, in collaboration with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), is working on building urgent capacity to identify the virus in our Biosecurity facility and isolation wards located at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba in the event of any suspected case arriving in Lagos State.
“We are in touch with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (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.”
The commissioner urged citizens to adopt and practise high standard of personal and environmental hygiene, including regular hand washing, covering of mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
Others are: avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing, practise good biosecurity precautions with domestic and wild animals as measures against the transmission of any kind of contagious infection, nCoV inclusive.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has put airlines operating into and out of Nigeria, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) and Aerodrome Operators on alert over the outbreak of Corona Virus.
Its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye, said the regulator took the steps to inform aviation stakeholders about the effects of the outbreak of the virus in Wuhan City, Hubei Province in China.
Adurogboye listed the clinical signs and symptoms of the virus as mainly fever and difficulty in breathing, coughing and sneezing.
He said the virus has spread to other countries including Thailand, Republic of Korea, United States and Japan.
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