Ogun, Lafarge give updates on coronavirus outbreak

The Ogun Government and Lafarge Africa have confirmed that number of contacts in respect of the recorded single case of Coronavirus (Covid-19) has hit 39 from the initial reported 28.

The contacts included the driver who picked the infected Italian from a hotel in Ikeja and those who served him food and drink.

The Ogun Government along with Lafarge Africa confirmed this development at the Lafarge facility during an on-the-spot-assessment by the host state government; the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) team; the World Health Organisation (WHO) team, and the Industrial Director of Lafarge plc.

The Ogun Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, commended Lafarge Africa for the quick and proactive measures taken so far.

She noted that it was imperative for the state and federal governments to swing into action to contain the spread of the deadly disease.

The commissioner said that the state government had activated an Emergency Operation Committee (EOC) to manage any development that may arise from the reported cases of Coronavirus.

“We are on top of the situation. There is no cause for alarm. Our health educators are busy with advocacy efforts on the field. We are sensitising our health officers too on preventive measures to adopt.

On its part, the company said that its production lines were not shut as the guest house where the Italian was lodged is 5km away from the manufacturing plants in Ewekoro.

The Industrial Director, Lafarge Plc, Mr Segun Soyoye, said the Italian came to Lafarge facilities at Ewekoro to inspect some installations of machines bought from a Swedish firm.

Soyoye added that the Italian didn’t go behind Lafarge guest house at Ishofin estate before he was evacuated having developed abnormal temperatures that suggested he had been infected with Covid-19.

“The Italian came for a business visit. He was in Lagos on Monday and slept at Airport Hotel, Ikeja. Our driver took him there, and when we observed abnormal temperatures and symptoms, we quickly instituted an Emergency Response Team which is led by the Company CEO; we have to find a way of analysing and identifying not only the Italian but also the other contacts.

Also, Mr Ibrahim Mamadu, the Team Leader of World Health Organisation (WHO) Nigeria, commended the internal processes undertaken so far by Lafarge Africa to contain the deadly disease.

He however advised the company and others to acquire digital thermometers to check body temperatures instead of infrared thermometers for accurate body temperature readings.