The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has issued a public health advisory on the novel coronavirus (nCoV), also known as New China Virus.
This is even as Chinese authorities urged people to stop travelling in and out of Wuhan, the city of 8.9 million people at the centre of a new virus outbreak that has killed 17 people.
The new virus has spread from Wuhan to several Chinese provinces, as well as the US, Thailand and South Korea. There are 440 confirmed cases, with the origin a seafood market that “conducted illegal transactions of wild animals”.
In its advisory issued on Wednesday, the NCDC said “Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are normally transmitted between animals and people. A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain of the virus that has not been previously identified in humans.”
It said the new virus appears to cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms like cough and breathing difficulties. “From current evidence, it appears that death is a rare outcome, and occurs mostly in patients with underlying illness,” it added.
The centre added that it is currently coordinating a multisectoral technical group that is assessing and managing the risk of importation to Nigeria, while the Port Health Services unit of the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria has been placed on alert and has heightened screening measures at the points of entry.
“Nigerians are advised to remain calm. Travelers from Nigeria to Wuhan, China, are advised to avoid contact with sick people, animals (alive or dead), and animal markets. Travelers from Wuhan to Nigeria, may be asked questions upon arrival by the Port Health Services unit at points of entry about symptoms of illness and travel history, and are advised to report immediately to NCDC if they feel ill after a trip to Wuhan,” it advised.
How to protect yourself
To reduce the risk of spread of coronavirus, members of the public are advised to adhere to the following measures:
• Wash your hands regularly with soap under running water.
• Cover your mouth and nose properly with handkerchief or tissue paper when sneezing and/or coughing. You may also cough into your elbow if a handkerchief is not available.
• Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.
• Avoid self-medication, report to the nearest health facility when you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms.
• Healthcare workers are always advised to observe standard infection prevention and control measures when attending to patients and take a travel history.
