Ekiti State has recorded its first case of Coronavirus with the victim testing positive after driving an American citizen from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, who disclosed this in a statement Wednesday night, said the 27-year-old American has been confirmed dead.

Mrs. Yaya-Kolade revealed that the fatality has been officially confirmed by the Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19 led by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

She disclosed that a 38-year-old Ekiti indigene was suspected to have been infected while driving the American who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, United States, in company of his 31-year-old caregiver, a Nigerian female of Ekiti origin.

The Commissioner explained that the duo were driven by the confirmed case to Ibadan from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to Ibadan, where they stayed for two weeks after which they arrived Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on March 13.

The American, she said, fell ill a day after their arrival and was admitted into a private hospital from where he was rushed to a tertiary hospital where he died of complications of a yet-to-be determined illness.

The Commissioner said while the test run on the American was inconclusive, the result of the male driver was positive while that of the female caregiver was negative

The confirmed index case, she said, has been quarantined at the State Isolation Centre while the caregiver who tested negative has been placed under observation in self-isolation.

Dr. Yaya-Kolade said: “The Ekiti State Taskforce on Covid-19, headed by His Excellency, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, can confirm that we have recorded an incidence of a Nigerian male, 38 years old, of Ekiti origin, who has tested positive to Covid-19.

“The confirmed case is suspected to have been infected while driving an American Caucasian, male, 27 years old, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, USA in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female Age 31, of Ekiti origin.

“The American male and his Nigerian female caregiver, arrived Nigeria on 3rd March 2020 through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos. Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair were driven by our confirmed case to Ibadan, where they stayed for two weeks, and arrived Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on 13th March, 2020.

“A day after their arrival, the American male fell ill and he was taken to a private hospital where he was referred to a tertiary hospital. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his illness.

“The hospital authorities alerted the State Taskforce and samples were taken from the American male as well as his two companions. The test for the male driver came back positive; the test for the female caregiver came back negative while the test for the American male was inconclusive.

“In line with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols, the Ekiti State Taskforce on Covid-19 has already quarantined the confirmed case on admission in the State Isolation Centre, while the caregiver who tested negative, is presently under observation in self-isolation.

“We have commenced the process of contact tracing, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) following the team’s itinerary since they landed in Nigeria on the 3rd of March 2020.

“We have also contacted the Oyo State Government since it was recorded that they stayed in Ibadan for two weeks before arriving Ekiti State.

“The confirmed case is very stable and not showing any symptoms while NCDC will repeat the test for the caregiver who is also in self-isolation.

“The Ekiti State Task Force on COVID-19 is following the NCDC Case Management Protocols with diligence. We want to urge Ekiti residents to stay calm and ensure they observe the prevention steps that are being publicised on all credible media.

“It is important to state that this likely index case was on a short visit and had not been in Ekiti State for up to 72 hours before his death.

“The Ekiti State Taskforce on Covid-19 advises residents to continue to take self-preventive measures by washing their hands with soap and water, covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing, observing social distancing and to alert the authorities of any suspected case by calling the 112 Emergency Number or 09062970434, 09062970435, 09062970436.

“The Government of Ekiti State will continue to update the public on new developments as necessary in our commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all Ekiti residents.”