Despite the increasing cases of imported Covid-19 into the country, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has said that the country has no plan adopt force isolation on those who come into Nigeria from high risk countries.
He stated this while responding to questions from journalists in Abuja, Monday.
As at March 23, 2020, Nigeria has recorded 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of these 36 confirmed cases, 25 are in Lagos, 6 in FCT, 2 in Ogun, 1 in Edo, 1 in Ekiti and 1 in Oyo.
Out of the 36 cases, 26 had travel history to affected countries in the last 2 weeks, 6 are contacts of confirmed cases and 4 have no recent travel history or known contact.
Nigeria has so far recorded only one death from COVID-19 in the country.
The Minister, however, revealed that, the federal government was compelled to go after some persons who, according to him, came from abroad but did not register their presence and did not equally self-isolate.
“As for force isolation, we have not come to that yet. But we have had an occasion to go after persons who came from abroad and did not register their presence and we believe did not go into isolation.
“We published their names and until they volunteer themselves and were put under observation and after the 14 day period they were now free to go,” the Minister said.
While lamenting the death so far recorded as a result of the Covid-19, the Minister said: “This was a Nigerian who unfortunately, had underlying illnesses and died due to complications on March 22, in Abuja. He had recently returned from the United Kingdom.”
