The Ekiti State Government, yesterday, confirmed the death of an American, who died of the Corona virus. It also disclosed the positive case of the virus in a patient in the State. The American, who was 27 years old, was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, USA, in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female age 31, of Ekiti origin.
Also, his 38-year-old driver tested positive for coronavirus which he contracted form the American national, the Ekiti State Government said.
In a statement signed by the Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Mojisola Yaya Kolade, it read,
“The confirmed case of the driver is suspected to have been infected while driving an American Caucasian, male, 27 years old, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, the USA in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female Age 31, of Ekiti origin.
“The American male and his Nigerian female caregiver arrived in Nigeria on March 3, 2020 through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair were driven by our confirmed case to Ibadan, where they stayed for two weeks, and arrived Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on March 13, 2020.
“A day after their arrival, the American male fell ill and he was taken to a private hospital where he was referred to a tertiary hospital. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his illness.
“The hospital authorities alerted the State Task-force and samples were taken from the American male as well as his two companions. The test for the male driver came back positive; the test for the female caregiver came back negative while the test for the American male was inconclusive.”
Dr. Yaya-Kolade revealed that the driver was already quarantined and on admission in the state Isolation Center, while the caregiver, who tested negative, is presently under observation in self-isolation.
“We have also contacted the Oyo State Government since it was recorded that they stayed in Ibadan for two weeks before arriving at Ekiti State.
“The confirmed case is very stable and not showing any symptoms while NCDC will repeat the test for the caregiver who is also in self-isolation,” the statement added.
