By Ayomide Otitoju
Health authorities in Cross River State have dismissed reports claiming the emergence of 10 new COVID-19 cases, clarifying that only one confirmed case has been recorded.
The State Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, made the clarification on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, attributing the misinformation to a misunderstanding of contact tracing data.
He explained that while 10 individuals had been identified as contacts of the confirmed case, they were not infected, contrary to reports suggesting otherwise.
The confirmed case involves a Chinese national who arrived in Nigeria on March 17 and later travelled to Calabar for work. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 on April 17 after developing symptoms.
Ayuk disclosed that the patient is currently receiving treatment at an isolation centre in Calabar and is responding well.
According to him, the individual was initially treated at a private facility before being referred to a teaching hospital in the state due to lack of improvement.
He added that all identified contacts are under close monitoring for a 14-day period as part of containment measures.
The commissioner stressed that the state has activated its public health emergency response systems, including surveillance and risk management structures, to prevent further spread.
He noted that authorities are treating the situation with urgency, describing any confirmed case as a potential public health risk requiring immediate action.
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