Coronavirus: Atiku offers to help

Former Vice President and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate has offered to help the All Progressives Congress, APC, lead government of President Muhammadu Buhari in the fight against COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak in Lagos.

Atiku in a tweet on Friday said he would offer his patriotic counsel to the government of President Buhari, on how best to tackle the issue of #coronavirusnigeria in Nigeria

He said Now that Nigeria has had her first confirmed case of the Corona Virus infestation, via a citizen of Italy, who visited Lagos and Ogun states, I would want to offer my patriotic counsel to the government of General @MBuhari, on how best to tackle this issue. #coronavirusnigeria

Now that Nigeria has had her first confirmed case of the Corona Virus infestation, via a citizen of Italy, who visited Lagos and Ogun states, I would want to offer my patriotic counsel to the government of General @MBuhari, on how best to tackle this issue. #coronavirusnigeria

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 28, 2020

Recalled that the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, today confirmed the first case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak in Lagos, saying it was brought in by an Italian citizen.

Abayomi, however, said the State Emergency Operations Centre in response to the case and implementing firm control measures has been activated.

He said in Lagos that the case was brought in by an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on Feb. 25 from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit.

The commissioner said that the case was confirmed on Feb. 27, and has been reported to the Federal Ministry of Health.

Abayomi said that the patient fell ill on Feb.26, 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 (LUTH), 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,” Abayomi said.

The commissioner said that the state has been strengthening measures to ensure that any outbreak in Lagos was controlled and contained quickly.

He said that the state government was doing this in collaboration with the multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The commissioner reassured residents and Nigerians that it has been strengthening its preparedness since the first confirmation of cases in China.

“We will use all the resources made available by the State and the Federal Governments to respond to this case.

“We are working to identify all the contacts of the patient, since he arrived in Nigeria.

Atiku said: ‘Now that Nigeria has had her first confirmed case of the Corona Virus infestation, via a citizen of Italy, who visited Lagos and Ogun states, I would want to offer my patriotic counsel to the government of General @MBuhari, on how best to tackle this issue. #coronavirusnigeria

‘It is more important to secure human lives than to secure an economy. We also need to invest in early detection facilities at our airports.

“But above all, Nigeria must not panic. Whether at government or individual levels. We have defeated Ebola before, and we can defeat this present predicament.

‘This crisis is an opportunity to show that we are first and foremost Nigerians and that we have no other country but our dear fatherland, which we must work together to keep healthy and secure.  God bless Nigeria and her people.’