COVID-19: Rivers Announces Second Case, Discharges Index Case

The Rivers state government on Tuesday announced that a 62-year-old male retiree who returned from the United Kingdom has tested positive to Coronavirus in the state.

This comes after the index case of the disease in the state 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.

The index case was a 19-year-old lady, a Model reportedly travelled to Italy, Greece and Brazil for her job before returning to the state, where she became symptomatic and was prompted quarantined for treatment, while her 105 contacts were traced and placed under monitoring for further development.

Chikere said the second case has been taken to the treatment centre for management while contact tracing has begun.

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.

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“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.”