Concerns over the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria have heightened after the index case at a Nigerian seaport was recorded weekend at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos State.
Crowds are still found at the seaports in Lagos as the Federal Government continues to leave the ports open for delivery of essential goods.
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COVID-19 hitting the port is, therefore, a clear cause for concern.
Nigeria’s leading indigenous container terminal, Ports & Cargo, said it had carried out fumigation of its facilities at Tincan Island Port in Lagos and placed some workers on quarantine, after the first case of COVID-19 at the port was discovered at the terminal owned by Sifax Group.
Sifax stated that one of its staff members at the terminal had tested positive to COVID-19, after unwittingly coming in contact with a family member, who had tested positive to the virus.
“The staff was asymptomatic as at Friday, April 17, 2020, the last day he was in the office. When he realised that the said family member, who is his father-in-law, had tested positive, he decided to isolate himself and stayed away from the office.
“It was during his isolation that he developed the symptoms and was eventually diagnosed with the virus. He, alongside his wife and children that have also tested positive, are currently undergoing treatment at the Landmark Isolation Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“As a responsible organisation, immediately the affected staff called to officially inform the company of his status, we communicated this development to the Nigerian Ports Authority and Federal Ministry of Health,” Sifax disclosed.
According to the terminal owner, other colleagues who interacted with the staff have been identified and mandated to isolate immediately, while the premises of the terminal has been fumigated.
“We will continue to support both the staff undergoing treatment and those who are in isolation,” the firm added.
