The Cross River State Government has confirmed a fresh case of COVID-19, sparking renewed public health vigilance while assuring residents that the situation is under control.
The disclosure was made in Calabar by the State Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, during a press briefing on Tuesday.
According to Ayuk, the index case involves a 53-year-old Chinese national working with Lafarge in Akamkpa Local Government Area. The patient reportedly arrived Nigeria on March 17 and later developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
He explained that the patient’s condition worsened at a government facility, leading to his transfer to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where laboratory tests confirmed the infection.
“We are, however, happy to report that he is doing well,” Ayuk stated, while urging residents not to panic.
Also speaking, the State Epidemiologist, Inyang Ekpenyong, revealed that emergency response mechanisms have been activated, including contact tracing and surveillance of individuals who may have had contact with the patient.
She disclosed that rapid response teams have been deployed to Akamkpa, while the state’s emergency operations centre has been fully activated.
Ekpenyong noted that although the last confirmed case in the state was recorded in 2022, there are indications the patient may have contracted the virus within Nigeria, given the timeline of symptom development.
“The incubation period for this virus is usually between two and 14 days… this case appears to fall outside that window,” she explained.
The State Coordinator of the World Health Organization, Yewande Olatunde, cautioned that COVID-19 remains a public health concern and urged residents to adhere to preventive measures.
“We must explore all preventive measures to protect ourselves,” she said.
State authorities emphasised that the healthcare system has been strengthened to effectively manage outbreaks, assuring that there is no cause for alarm.
Officials reiterated that while the virus may not be entirely preventable, its spread can be controlled through timely intervention, surveillance, and public cooperation.
The development has triggered heightened monitoring across the state, with health authorities intensifying efforts to prevent further transmission.
