By Muhammad Amaan
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has launched contact tracing in Cross River State following the confirmation of a single case of COVID-19 in the state.
The agency, in a statement on Tuesday night, said the case had been isolated and was being managed in line with national treatment guidelines, adding that the patient was stable and responding to care.
Earlier the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, disclosed that the case involved a 53-year-old Chinese expatriate working in a company in Akamkpa Local Government Area.
According to him, the patient arrived in Nigeria about a month ago, developed mild symptoms, and was later admitted to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where samples were taken and the infection confirmed.
He said the patient was currently receiving treatment at the state’s designated isolation centre and responding well.
Dr Ayuk noted that the government delayed announcing the case until diagnostic protocols were completed to prevent misinformation, while assuring residents that there was no cause for panic.
“The state is safe. There is no cause for alarm, but residents must remain vigilant,” he said.
The NCDC said response measures were immediately activated in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and partners, including contact tracing, surveillance, and infection prevention and control.
“All identified contacts are being followed up, and there is no evidence of widespread transmission at this time,” the agency said.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, said the activation of emergency protocols followed standard procedure, noting that even a single confirmed case qualifies as an outbreak.
She added that rapid response teams had been deployed to the affected area, while contact tracing and monitoring of exposed persons were ongoing within the virus’s incubation period.
Dr Ekpenyong said the case was the first officially recorded COVID-19 infection in the state since 2022, attributing the low detection rate in recent years to vaccination efforts and the prevalence of mild or unreported cases.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mr Jonah Offor, commended the coordinated response involving the state government and partners, including the World Health Organisation.
The WHO State Coordinator, Ms Olatunde Rebecca, emphasised the need for sustained surveillance and risk communication, warning against misinformation.
She reiterated that preventive measures such as hand hygiene, use of face masks, and physical distancing remain essential in curbing transmission.
Ms Rebecca added that efforts were ongoing to determine the specific strain involved in the case.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Ekpo Bassey, said the state had strengthened its outbreak response capacity, enabling early detection and swift containment.
The NCDC, however, maintained that Nigeria’s surveillance systems remain active and effective.
“We continue to maintain routine surveillance for COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. The detection of this case shows that our systems are functioning as expected,” the agency said.
Health experts note that although cases have declined significantly since the peak of the pandemic, sporadic infections remain possible due to global travel and continued circulation of the virus, making early detection and rapid response critical.
