The Enugu State Ministry of Health has confirmed a new positive case of COVID-19 in the State.

Dr Ikechukwu Obi, the Commissioner for Health, Enugu State who confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday, said the new case has a positive travel history.

Obi, an Associate Professor, disclosed that the confirmed case travelled out of Enugu on March 28 2020 and returned from Jos, Plateau State, two weeks ago, precisely on April 14.

The boundaries of the State were presumably locked down when the case returned.

The Commissioner stated further: “This confirmed case developed symptoms on Tuesday April 21 and reported to a frontline health centre in the state on Saturday, April 25, 2020.

“A vigilant health care worker, operating on a high index of suspicion contacted the Enugu State COVID-19 Rapid Response Team, and this case was brought in for sample collection on Monday, April 27, 2020. The result returned on the evening of 28th April 2020 as a confirmed positive case.”

Obi said the patient has been admitted into one of the state’s treatment and isolation centres, while contacts were being identified and line-listed, for samples to be taken for testing.


He added that decontamination of the residence of this case will also be promptly carried out.

“The Enugu State Government commends our brave frontline health care workers, who continue to professionally discharge their duties.

“The Enugu State Government also wishes to thank the gallant members of our security forces who with our health workers, man our interstate borders and points of entry, day and night.

“While imploring them to tighten their dragnet in order to avoid further risk of movement of persons not on essential services, across the state’s borders,” he said.

Obi, however, advised the good people of Enugu State to stay at home, and only go out when absolutely necessary, and when going out, to wear an appropriate ‘cloth’ face mask.

He further advised them to avoid touching the front of the face mask, and always remove the mask from both ears at once.

“You are advised to practice physical/social distancing of at least 2m (or 6ft) apart from each other, and practice proper respiratory hygiene (cough or sneeze into your elbow, use a tissue if you must and discard immediately into a safe and secure bin.

“Wash your hands as often as possible with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or the length of time it takes you to sing the happy birthday song twice) or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when there is no facility to wash your hands.

“Finally sanitize surfaces all around you as often as possible with a 1in5 mixture of bleach and water.
Please Stay Safe!”