Nigerian embassy in Mexico shuts down over COVID-19 outbreak

The Nigerian embassy in Mexico has shut down as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 at the embassy.

The Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Adejare Bello, who disclosed this on Channels Television on Monday, said the majority of the staff were down with the virus.

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He said the embassy would be closed for seven days, adding that the premises would be fumigated within the period.

Bello said: “I came back to see that most of my staff were not on the ground and it was reported to me that they tested positive for COVID-19.

“Having worked with them for one week, I saw that if we don’t take some precautions, it will continue to spread. I ordered on Friday that from today, Monday, the embassy is temporarily closed down to allow us to sanitise the environment, fumigate and for workers, those that are just getting better, to stay at home and get better.”

He said that Mexico is currently having over 100,000 active cases, hence the need to take precautions to halt the spread of the virus at the embassy.

“As of today, the daily death rate from COVID-19 in Mexico is around 84,” he said.

Bello, however, said that staff would continue working remotely while he would be available to address urgent issues.

“The home-based officers, that is the officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria and the local staff, are to work from home and there is a notice at the gate for urgent matters to be attended to. My officers are on ground, I’m on the ground to attend to anything that is urgent,” he explained.