Coronavirus: American dies as driver tests positive in Ekiti

A 38-year-old driver, who tested positive for coronavirus, contracted the disease from an American national, the Ekiti State Government has said.

The government in a statement by its Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, confirmed that the 27-year-old American, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, United States, died after falling ill.

However, Yaya-Kolade, on Tuesday, said the coronavirus test conducted on the American was “inconclusive”.

The commissioner added that the American, described as a “likely index case”, was on a short visit and had not been in Ekiti State for up to 72 hours before his death.

His 31-year-old Nigerian female caregiver of Ekiti origin was also said to test negative.

The statement read, “The confirmed case (of the driver) is suspected to have been infected while driving an American Caucasian, male, 27 years old, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, the USA in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female Age 31, of Ekiti origin.

“The American male and his Nigerian female caregiver arrived in Nigeria on March 3, 2020 through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair were driven by our confirmed case to Ibadan, where they stayed for two weeks, and arrived Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on March 13, 2020.

“A day after their arrival, the American male fell ill and he was taken to a private hospital where he was referred to a tertiary hospital. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his illness.

“The hospital authorities alerted the State Taskforce and samples were taken from the American male as well as his two companions. The test for the male driver came back positive; the test for the female caregiver came back negative while the test for the American male was inconclusive.”

Yaya-Kolade noted that the driver was already quarantined and on admission in the state Isolation Centre, while the caregiver, who tested negative, is presently under observation in self-isolation.

“We have also contacted the Oyo State Government since it was recorded that they stayed in Ibadan for two weeks before arriving at Ekiti State.

“The confirmed case is very stable and not showing any symptoms while NCDC will repeat the test for the caregiver who is also in self-isolation,” the statement added.

{Punch Mobile}