The three suspected cases of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) isolated in Lagos on Thursday have tested negative to the disease.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this on Friday, said all three have been discharged.
In a tweet, Abayomi said: “All the three #COVID19 suspected cases; travellers from France, England and China whose samples were collected yesterday for analysis have tested negative and they have been discharged.”
Abayomi had, on Thursday, disclosed that the three identified cases were being tested in the Lagos isolation centre in Yaba.
He said one of those involved is a Nigerian who returned from France four days ago, another came in from the United Kingdom while the third was from China.
Earlier, at a press conference in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, confirmed that two of the three suspected cases were negative.
Ehanire, who did not give details, however noted that the result of the third case was pending and would be released as soon as it was ready.
In an update during the briefing, the Minister maintained that Nigeria had only one confirmed case.
He said Nigerians should stop profiling suspected cases.
“As of the three cases, one of them, we are expecting the result; it takes some hours for the results to come out. We must go away from the idea of focusing on Chinese or any particular nationality because a case that entered Nigeria, which is the index case is not Chinese.
“If we are profiling and focusing on the wrong areas, we risk losing the right thinking.”
The minister said the government had strengthened screening of passengers at the country’s entry-points, and soon, passengers departing the country will be screened too.
