Nigeria has recorded a fresh case of COVID-19 in Cross River State, years after the global pandemic led to millions of deaths worldwide.
The Cross River State Ministry of Health has begun profiling and tracing individuals in the state who have been in contact with a Chinese national who tested positive for the virus.
The Commissioner for Health in the coastal state, Henry Ayuk, disclosed this in Calabar while briefing newsmen on the resurgence of the deadly SARS variant in Cross River State.
Ayuk said Cross River is recording its first significant case since 2022 and promised to curb the spread of the virus further.
According to him, the patient, who arrived in the country on March 17, 2026, is believed to have contracted the virus within Nigeria after surpassing the 14-day incubation period, as signs and symptoms were noticed on April 10.
The commissioner urged residents to remain watchful but free to go about their daily legitimate duties, as the state is capable of fighting and preventing the spread of the epidemic.
He noted that the ministry has mobilised health workers across communities in Akamkpa Local Government Area, where the patient lived and worked, to avert possible spread.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation coordinator in Cross River, Yewande Olatunde, warned Nigerians to remain health-conscious, noting that COVID-19 has not been fully eradicated globally, with different strains developing. He encouraged residents to remain vigilant and adhere to public health guidelines.
The resurgence comes years after the COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdowns and paralysis of economic activities across the globe. In Nigeria, the disease killed about 3,000 people, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
