Enugu patient tests negative for coronavirus

The patient who was quarantined in Enugu on suspicion of coronavirus has tested negative for the disease.

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed this in a tweet on Sunday.

The centre had earlier said the result of the test conducted on the patient would be available on Monday but on Sunday night, it made the status of the patient known.

“The laboratory result of the patient in Enugu suspected to have #COVID19 is NEGATIVE. It is important to wait for confirmation from NCDC before spreading information on social media. NCDC will continue to provide updates to the public,” the tweet read.

#COVID19Nigeria

The laboratory result of the patient in Enugu suspected to have #COVID19 is NEGATIVE

It is important to wait for confirmation from NCDC before spreading information on social media.

NCDC will continue to provide updates to the publichttps://t.co/zQrpNeOfet https://t.co/chldqET4Wz pic.twitter.com/SLS4Dw8Zyk

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 15, 2020

So far, Nigeria has recorded two confirmed cases of the virus with no death.

In its update, NCDC said apart from the index case, a “total of 48 people have been screened for COVID-19 (5 new) in 8 states (Edo, Enugu, FCT, Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Yobe) out of which 46 tested negative and have been ruled out, result is pending for one, while one (a contact of the index case) was confirmed positive.”

The index case, NCDC said, is clinically stable at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, and an additional sample has been collected for retesting.

The second confirmed case, who was a contact of the index case, was discharged on Friday after testing negative twice consecutively.