The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA has refuted a media reports that a senior member
of staff has been diagnosed with COVID-19, a statement by NPA’s GM Corporate Communications, Jatto Adams said.
The statement claimed that a member of staff of one of the terminals at the ports,
who has not been at the office since Friday April 17, 2020 had visited his
father-in-law and family during the weekend of Friday, April 17, 2020 and
Sunday April 19, 2020.
“On arrival, he discovered that the medical practitioner father-in- law, his
own wife and children had taken ill.
“On Monday, April 20, they were all diagnosed with Coronavirus as a result
of which he decided to isolate himself and get tested. He wrote to the
office to inform them about the situation and his decision to self-isolate.
“On Thursday, April 23,2020, he again wrote to inform the company that
he had tested positive to Coronavirus and that the entire family was now
receiving treatment at one of the isolation centres in Lagos.
“The company immediately (on the same Thursday, April 23,2020) wrote
to inform and seek advice from the Coordinator of Health Ports Services
in line with guidelines laid down by the National Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC). for the report of COVID-19 incidents.
“The company, in line with advice from Port Health Services, has
disinfected the premises, while all personnel who interacted with the staff
have been identified and asked to self-isolate.
“The Authority wishes to appeal to the media to verify information before
going to press in order to avoid raising unnecessary tension. There are laid down procedures for the management of suspicions of COVID-19 incidents at the ports and the Authority will, in collaboration with all other government agencies, follow these processes through whenever the occasions arise.
An online publication had claimed an exclusive report that an insider source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the affected staff in his early forties is Head of Protocol of the Port and Cargo Department (P&C) and works directly under the Managing Director of the P&C “is currently receiving treatments in a private hospital in Apapa.
“No one is sure of his travel history but he has been in contact with top management officials of the NPA. The NCDC officials are coming to evacuate him to their facility tomorrow but we fear he might have infected people in the department and hospital where he is receiving treatment,” the source said.
The source confirmed that the NPA management has been holding emergency meetings since discovering the COVID-19 case. However, it is not clear what immediate efforts the NPA is putting in place to stop a looming spread of the virus amongst its staff.