The Cross River State Government has confirmed a fresh case of COVID-19 in the state, with health authorities saying response measures have already been activated.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, made the announcement during a press briefing in Calabar, noting that the case involved a 53-year-old Chinese national working in Akamkpa Local Government Area.
According to him, the patient arrived in Nigeria on March 17 and later fell ill, with his condition worsening before he was transferred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where tests confirmed COVID-19 infection.
Ayuk said the patient is currently responding to treatment and is in stable condition. He added that the state had strengthened its health surveillance system to detect and manage any outbreak swiftly.
He explained that health authorities deliberately ensured all diagnostic protocols were followed before confirming the case, adding that there was no need for public panic.
State Epidemiologist, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, said the emergency response unit had been activated, with contact tracing already underway to identify and monitor individuals who may have interacted with the patient.
She noted that rapid response teams had been deployed to Akamkpa as part of containment efforts, while samples and exposure lists were being compiled.
Ekpenyong added that the timeline of symptoms suggested the infection may have been acquired locally, given the incubation period of the virus.
The World Health Organization Coordinator in the state, Dr Yewande Olatunde, also confirmed that COVID-19 remains a circulating public health concern and urged continued vigilance.
Health officials assured residents that containment measures are in place and emphasized that there is no cause for alarm as monitoring continues.
