Enugu confirms new COVID-19 case

The Enugu State Ministry of Health has confirmed a new case of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to three.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had in March announced two COVID-19 cases in the state, a couple and a returnee from the United Kingdom.

The State Health Ministry announced some five weeks later that they have been discharged from isolation after testing negative twice for the virus.

However, the State Commissioner for Health, Ikechukwu Obi, on Wednesday announced in a statement that the state recorded another case.


He said, “This confirmed case developed symptoms on Tuesday 21st April and reported to a frontline health centre in the state on Saturday 25th April 2020.

“A vigilant health care worker, operating on a high index of suspicion contacted the Enugu State COVID-19 Rapid Response Team, and this case was brought in for sample collection on Monday 27th April 2020. The result returned on the evening of 28th April 2020 as a confirmed positive case.

“The patient has been admitted into one of our Treatment and Isolation Centres, while contacts are being identified, line-listed, and for samples to be taken for testing. Decontamination of the residence of this case will also be promptly carried out.”

He urged the public to practice social distancing, proper hygiene, and wear face masks in public.

Meanwhile, as of Wednesday morning, Nigeria had 1,532 cases of COVID-19, with 255 patients discharged while 44 people had died of the virus.