Kano State has recorded its index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced on Saturday night.
The agency said on Twitter that the country’s COVID-19 cases rose to 318 following 13 new ones.
It said: “13 new cases of #COVID19 have been reported; 11 in Lagos, 1 in Delta & 1 in Kano
“As of 9:30pm 11th April there are 318 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 70 have been discharged with 10 deaths.
“There are 19 states with confirmed cases in Nigeria.”
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano tweeted afterwards saying the index case was a former ambassador who had no travel history outside the country.
He wrote: “A 75-year-old former ambassador of the Federal Republic has been documented as the index case of COVID 19 in the state of Kano. Although he has no travel history outside the country, the former civil servant did return from Abuja on the eve of the state’s border closure.
“We have currently isolated the patient at the Kwanar Dawarki Research Center and have run tests on persons who have come in contact with him in the past period. Our preparations of the past month have come to fruition as we have taken adequate measures to contain the outbreak.”
