TheCable

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says a port worker, not any of its staff tested positive for copronavirus.

In a statement issued by Jatto Adams, NPA general manager, corporate and strategic communications, the agency said the last the official visited the port was on April 17, when he was yet to contract it.

Adams said the worker had visited his father-in-law, who is a medical practitioner, and family members, after which he realised that had taken ill and later diagnosed of the virus.

The spokesman said after the staff member informed the agency, the ports management “immediately wrote to inform and seek advice from the Coordinator of Health Ports Services in line with guidelines laid down by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)”.

“The Nigerian Ports Authority hereby refutes reports that a senior member of staff has been diagnosed with COVID-19,” the statement read.

“The fact is that a member of staff of one of the terminals at the ports, who has not been at the office since Friday April 17, 2020 had visited his father-in-law and family during the weekend of Friday, April 17, 2020 and Sunday April 19, 2020.

“On arrival, he discovered that the medical practitioner father-in- law, his own wife and children had taken ill.

“On Monday, April 20, they were all diagnosed with Coronavirus as a result of which he decided to isolate himself and get tested. He wrote to the office to inform them about the situation and his decision to self-isolate.

“On Thursday, April 23,2020, he again wrote to inform the company that he had tested positive to Coronavirus and that the entire family was now receiving treatment at one of the isolation centres in Lagos.

“The company immediately (on the same Thursday, April 23,2020) wrote to inform and seek advice from the Coordinator of Health Ports Services in line with guidelines laid down by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for the report of COVID-19 incidents.”

Adams said the premises had been disinfected and all those who interacted with the affected worker to self-isolate.

He said the ports authority will abide by the laid down guidelines for the management of COVID-19 cases as well as suspected cases.

Nigeria has recorded 1, 095 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of which 208 patients have recovered while 32 persons have died.