A new case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Cross River State, with health authorities moving swiftly to contain any potential spread.
The state Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, disclosed this on Tuesday at a press conference in Calabar, identifying the patient as a 53-year-old Chinese national working with Lafarge.
Ayuk said the individual arrived in Nigeria on March 17 and later developed symptoms, which worsened before he was referred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for further evaluation.
“At the teaching hospital, samples were taken and all necessary protocols observed. It was subsequently confirmed that he has COVID-19,” he said.
“We are, however, happy to report that he is doing well,” Ayuk added, while assuring residents that there was no cause for alarm.
He emphasised that the state’s health system had been strengthened to handle such situations. “For every ailment or outbreak identified in the state, there should be no panic. We have the capacity to manage and contain it,” he stated.
The commissioner explained that authorities took several days to verify the case before making it public. “We decided to be careful to ensure that all processes for identifying and confirming COVID-19 were duly followed,” he said.
Also speaking, the State Epidemiologist, Inyang Ekpenyong, confirmed that emergency protocols had been activated, with contact tracing already ongoing.
“We have activated the emergency response centre and deployed rapid response teams to Akamkpa Local Government Area, where the patient works,” she said.
Ekpenyong noted that the last confirmed case in the state was recorded in 2022, raising concerns about possible local transmission.
“The incubation period for this virus is between two to 14 days, but this patient developed symptoms well beyond that window. This suggests the possibility of local exposure,” she explained.
She stressed the importance of containment efforts, saying: “There is no way we can completely stop the disease, but we can stop an outbreak. It is critical to ensure that infections do not spread and that lives are protected.”
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation coordinator in the state, Yewande Olatunde, warned that the virus remains a global concern.
“COVID-19 is still with us. We must continue to take preventive measures to protect ourselves and our communities,” she said.