The Federal Government has said that COVID-19 infected Nigerians in diaspora would not be evacuated to the country. It says the infected persons will receive treatment in their country of residence.
This was disclosed by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ferdinand Nwonye while responding to questions from the journalist in Abuja on Friday. In responding to the planned evacuation of over 2,000 Nigerians abroad, in which some of them have been tested positive.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the infected Nigerians could not wait for the repatriation process to commence as this is dangerous for them and to their host community.
The West African Pilot News had earlier reported that 72 Nigerians awaiting evacuation tested positive for coronavirus.
In his response to questions on evacuation, Nwonye said, “Those who tested positive would be receiving treatment in China. Are they going to wait till they are evacuated, did they know when the evacuation would take place?
“The best option is that they would submit themselves to the local authorities and receive treatment because the evacuation would be by countries and in batches. Staying there without treatment is even dangerous to the host community.”
The number of Nigerian COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, China, has risen to 74.
It was learned that there were additional two positive persons returned on Friday which increase the number to 74 from the 72 earlier reported by The West African Pilot.
According to The Punch, the Nigerian Consulate had been informed by the Guangzhou Municipal Authorities about the latest development.
It also added that the Chinese Authorities are tracing 107 contacts of the positive cases in Guangzhou.
Investigation revealed that many Nigerians in Guangzhou, ready for evacuation, traveled to the city on business. They have exhausted their money after they were quarantined in hotels by the government.
As some of them said, they were quarantined in expensive hotels and made to pay high charges.
The compulsory quarantine is the decision of the Guangdong Province to ensure two-weeks isolation on arrival for all foreign visitors to Guangzhou.
Some Nigerians living in the city have also agitated for evacuation by the Federal Government. It was gathered that some of them do not have valid visas and permits, this, therefore, made it difficult for them to leave China.
Findings show that the reported racial hatred and maltreatment of Nigerians in Guangzhou began when five Nigerians who allegedly tested positive for COVID-19 broke quarantine and frequented an African restaurant where they infected its owner, who then passed the virus on to her eight-year-old daughter.
