The Ogun state government has revealed the identity of the doctor who suspected the index case of coronavirus in Nigeria.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, the state ministry of health appreciated the doctor, Amarachukwu Allison, whose brilliance was said to have led to the detection of the case in the state.
Allison is a doctor at Lafarge Plc, a cement manufacturer.
The index case, an Italian, arrived in Nigeria on February 24.
The Italian, who is a consultant with Lafarge, reportedly spent the night at an undisclosed hotel near Lagos airport and moved to the company’s facility in Ewekoro, Ogun state, the next morning.
He was said to have spent the night at Lafarge’s facility when he fell sick and was taken to the company’s medical centre where preliminary diagnosis began.
After testing positive for the disease, he was subsequently quarantined at the Infectious Disease Centre in Yaba, Lagos state.
About 39 people who had contact with him were also quarantined. One of them tested positive for the disease while others were discharged. The positive case later recovered.
On Friday, the Italian was discharged from the isolation centre after testing negative for the disease.
The state government also appreciated Lafarge for its cooperation in managing the spread of the virus in the state.
“The Ogun State Government appreciates the young female doctor who suspected the index case in Nigeria in our State, Dr. Amarachukwu Karen Allison of Lafarge Nigeria. Her singular brilliance led to the early diagnosis and rapid containment of the first Covid-19 infection in,” it said.
“Our appreciation also goes to Lafarge Nigeria for their cooperation with Ogun State in managing and curtailing the spread of the disease within the state.
Ogun State under the leadership of the Executive Governor ,His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun @dabiodunMFR