Coronavirus: Don’t travel to China now, FG advises Nigerians

The Federal Government has advised Nigerians intending to travel to China to delay it in view of the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, while giving a new travel advisory on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, also advised all airlines to report any case of a passenger falling sick on-board before the plane landed.

Ehanire said, “In view of the trending stories around the Coronavirus, it has become very necessary to issue a travel advisory to Nigerians.

“The first is that all Nigerians and all from Nigeria, intending to travel to China should delay all their travel plans until further notice, except it is extremely essential for them to do that trip.

“All persons arriving from China or any country that has a major outbreak is advised, if they have no symptoms at all, to self-isolate, meaning that they stay indoors in their homes for at least two weeks and if they develop any symptoms, like cough, catarrh, sneezing, breathing difficulties within this period, to report to the nearest health facility.

“We are also advising all airlines to report any case of a passenger falling sick on-board before the plane lands. That is a requirement in the agreement.

“Nigerian Port Health Services, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control are on alert at our airports and other points of entry. That is the advisory.”

Asked to comment on what the Federal Government would do to the huge number of Chinese returning to Nigeria after holiday for Lunar Year, the minister said, “We don’t have statistics on the number of Chinese returning to this country, but what I can telling you is that for those who travelled and meet the conditions we mentioned can come back to their work.

“I also want to remind you that there are very many Nigerians in China who will be coming home, not only Chinese and other people who have works to do in Nigeria from that area. We are not using your nationality as a criterion, we are using your state of health.”