The Rivers state government on Tuesday announced that the index case of the novel Coronavirus pandemic in the state, has tested negative and discharged from the state treatment centre.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Chike Chikere, announced this in Port Harcourt the state capital while briefing newsmen on the latest case in the state.
He said, “our first case was diagnosed on March 25, 2020, the young Lady is doing very well and now has two COVID negative PCR results. She will be discharged home Tuesday to reunite with her family.
“The remaining 15 of her 105 lines listed, will exit our surveillance system by Thursday, God willing.
” However, of the six new results announced by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control(NCDC), Rivers state recorded a new case. A 62-year-old retiree, who spent about a most nth in the United Kingdom and returned to Nigeria through Lagos International Airport on March 20, 2020, he eventually came back to his home in Port Harcourt the next day through Aero contractors flight on March 21, 2020.
“He, however, has been in self-isolation under the state surveillance system in his family house and developed flu symptoms on March 25, 2020.
“The rapid respond team collected samples from him and the test results are positive for COVID-19 and has been moved to the state treatment centre and presently receiving prompt and adequate treatment in line with the establishes treatment guidelines for his general condition.”
The commissioner further stated that contact tracing has already commenced and samples being collected from high-risk contacts for RT-PCR analysis. He added that risk communication and community engagement will continue unabated.
