Cross River Confirms COVID-19 Case, Activates Emergency Response

By Abah Margaret

The Cross River State Government has confirmed a new case of COVID-19, prompting the activation of emergency response measures to contain any potential spread.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Calabar.

According to him, the index case involves a 53-year-old Chinese national working with Lafarge in Akamkpa Local Government Area, who arrived in Nigeria on March 17 before developing symptoms weeks later.

Ayuk explained that the patient’s condition worsened at a facility under the Ministry of Health, necessitating his transfer to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where samples were taken and the infection was confirmed after due protocols were followed.

“We are, however, pleased to report that the patient is responding well to treatment,” he said.

The commissioner assured residents that the state’s health system has been strengthened to effectively manage disease outbreaks, urging the public not to panic.

“There should be no cause for alarm. The state is fully prepared in terms of surveillance and containment. We will do everything possible to manage and control the situation,” Ayuk stated.

He added that although there have been occasional silent infections in the past, the government remains vigilant in detecting and responding to any outbreak.

Also speaking, the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Inyang Ekpenyong, said the emergency response unit had been activated, with contact tracing already underway.

She noted that health officials are currently compiling a list of individuals who may have come in contact with the patient, as part of containment efforts.

Ekpenyong further explained that the timeline of the infection suggests the virus may have been contracted within Nigeria, given that symptoms appeared well beyond the typical incubation period of two to 14 days.

“The patient arrived on March 17 and began showing symptoms on April 10, which exceeds the usual incubation window. This suggests possible local transmission,” she said.

She confirmed that rapid response teams have been deployed to Akamkpa, while surveillance activities have been intensified across the state.

“There is no way to completely stop the virus, but we can prevent an outbreak by ensuring proper management and containment,” she added.

The epidemiologist also noted that the last confirmed COVID-19 case in Cross River State was recorded in 2022.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinator in the state, Dr. Yewande Olatunde, reminded the public that COVID-19 remains a global health concern and urged continued adherence to preventive measures.