The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said he’s looking for two passengers who were on the same flight with the Italian man — who brought COVID-19 to Nigeria — and would release their identity if unable to locate them.
According to Prof. Abayomi, during a press briefing on Thursday, of the people who boarded the plane with the Italian from Milan, only two persons were left to be identified and that their details may be released to the press if they are not found.
“As regards the number of people we are trying to identify, as of the close of work on Wednesday, we have 15 people who are yet to be identified. Out of the 15, we have been able to identify 13 of them as of Thursday. That means we are looking for two more people on-board the flight that brought the Italian, excluding the 65 who have traveled out of Lagos.
“If I can’t find those two people between now and tomorrow (Friday), I will be asking the press to help me put the information about them in the media. I’m trying to hold back their information for the sake of privacy,” he said.
The Commissioner also said the Italian man was feeling depressed but getting better and could be released in one week once the viral load in his body decreases and is of no threat to other people.
“The Italian has been with us for one week now, his clinical situation is quite stable, the symptoms are dramatically resolving.
“As of today (Wednesday), he is in a better spirit; he requested psychosocial support as he was getting a bit depressed because he is in isolation. He is the only person in the ward and of course, very few visitors, because his family is not in Nigeria.
“I can’t give the precise estimate in terms of the date that he will be released, it may not be long, perhaps another week. As soon as he is not secreting the viruses, that means he is no longer contagious,” he explained.
Meanwhile, another Nigerian who had just returned from France on Monday, was in isolation at the Infectious Disease Centre, Yaba. The commissioner said the patient was referred to the Infectious Disease Centre by a private hospital in Lagos.
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