Two persons who came into Nigeria from China have tested negative to coronavirus.
Emeka Oguanuo, an official of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), disclosed this on Saturday morning.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, NCDC director-general, had earlier said the centre was conducting tests on travellers from China.
“Last night, we had two cases and tests are going on at the moment. As soon as they are completed, it will be announced. If a person returns to the country, say within 20 or 30 days, there is no point wasting reagents to test such a person,” Ihekweazu had said in a statement.
“For other diseases, we usually advise people to go to the hospitals to get tested, but for suspected cases of coronavirus, patients are advised to simply put a call through to us, we will come to the patient because going to the hospital can amplify the disease if it is found to be positive.”
The centre said that a total of five people have been tested, adding that they cannot be said to be “coronavirus cases”.
While urging Nigerians to practice high hygienic measures, NCDC warned people against “fake news” on the outbreak, saying such can cause panic, harm and lead to waste of resources”.
The federal government has opened three centers where tests for coronavirus can be conducted in Nigeria. The centers are in Lagos, Edo and Abuja.
On Friday, Egypt confirmed a case of the disease in the country, making it the first in Africa.
The global death toll of the disease has hit 1,400 and there are 64,000 cases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it could take 18 months for COVID-19 vaccine to be ready.
