Coronavirus: Nigerians ask FG to quarantine passengers on flight with Italian

As Nigerians woke up to the perplexing news of the first confirmed case of the novel Coronavirus disease in the country on Friday morning, there have been reactions for the Federal Government to identify and isolate passengers onboard the Turkish Airlines flight with the Italian businessman who tested positive to the virus.

There were also calls on financial institutions and other public business places to beef up preventive measures in their premises to curtail the spread of the virus.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, on Friday, said the Italian businessman flew a Turkish Airlines flight into the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos from Milan, Italy, having transited through Istanbul, Turkey.

The commissioner said the victim arrived in Lagos on Monday night at 9 pm and spent the night in a hotel around the airport area before leaving for business in Ogun State on Tuesday morning.

The victim was said to have fallen ill after which he tested positive for the novel virus.

The patient is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.

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Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire at a press briefing today said the Federal Government has contacted the airline and has begun the process of reaching out to possible contacts of the Italian to break the cycle of transmission.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians on Friday insisted that all the passengers aboard the Turkish Airlines flight with the Italian victim should be identified and quarantined to prevent a possible outbreak in the country.

A Twitter user, @OlanusiAkin, said, “The Federal Government should immediately look for the other passengers onboard the aircraft that brought that Italian into the country and get them examined. This is a serious problem and should be urgently handled.”

@osangcynthia said, “What about the airplane he boarded into the country, let them quarantine all of them. God help us. We aren’t done with insurgency and here comes a virus that even the developed country can’t even handle.”

@rubiconlex said, “What about all those on that flight? What measures are taken to start tracing and testing these people?”

Also, some were of the opinion that banks in the country should beef up preventive measures to curtail the spread of the disease.

@riginawokaholic said, “Since the first case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Nigeria, banks should help curtail its spread by providing gloves and face mask at entrances, thereby protecting staff and customers.”

@empopson said, “Since we all know that Lagos is the gateway to Nigeria, we should have been on the alert. People coming from infected countries are to be properly screened and quarantined.”

@BIOlokodana said, “My boss’ cousin came in from China and she said she wasn’t even checked at all. So, what are we now saying? They should at least check those particularly coming in from countries with major outbreaks.”

The Senate had on Thursday berated the Federal Government for not doing enough to screen passengers coming into the country from the nation’s airports and seaports.

The novel virus is fast spreading, having been reported in over 20 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and lately in Africa.

The Italian businessman is the second confirmed case in Africa following one recently recorded in Algeria in North Africa.

With 14 deaths and 528 infections, Italy is by far the European country worst affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.