Sequel to an exclusive report by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) about a senior staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) contracting the novel coronavirus [COVID-19] disease and the possibility of a mass infection, the agency on Saturday opened up how the affected staff contacted the deadly virus.
It said the affected staff recently proceeded on a visit to his father-in-law only to discovered that they had taken ill. On careful examination and testing, his father-in-law and the rest of the family tested positive for COVID-19. The staff whom the NPA said was not on the senior cadre decided to self-isolate and later go for COVID-19 test which came positive. The staff and other family members are now receiving treatments at one of the isolation centres in Lagos.
The agency in a reaction signed and released by its General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Jatto A Adams, said after proper consultation with concerned authorities it took necessary precautions by disinfecting its premises and asked staff members who had been in contact with the suspected case to proceed on self-isolation.
The statement reads in part: “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.
The company, in line with advice from Port Health Services, has disinfected the premises, while all personnel who interacted with the staff have been identified and asked to self-isolate.”