Cross River Confirms Only One COVID-19 Case, Debunks Reports of Wider Outbreak

ARTICLE
Cross River State authorities have moved to clarify growing public concern over a reported resurgence of COVID-19, insisting that only a single confirmed case exists in the state despite widespread speculation about additional infections.

The Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, addressed the issue on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he dismissed reports suggesting a larger outbreak.

He explained that misinformation circulating in the media likely stemmed from confusion over contact tracing figures, stressing that 10 individuals identified for monitoring were wrongly interpreted as confirmed cases.

According to him, the state is dealing with just one confirmed infection, not a cluster of new cases as widely reported.

The clarification follows the confirmation of a COVID-19 case in Cross River after a prolonged period without recorded infections. The patient, a Chinese national who arrived in Nigeria from China on March 17, reportedly travelled to Calabar for work before developing symptoms and later testing positive on April 17.

Health authorities say the patient was initially treated at a local facility before being referred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where he is currently receiving care at an isolation centre.

Ayuk stated that the patient is responding positively to treatment and continues to show signs of recovery.

He also confirmed that individuals who had close contact with the patient have been identified and placed under close observation for a mandatory 14-day monitoring period to prevent possible spread.

The commissioner emphasized that the state government responded immediately after confirmation of the case, activating emergency response systems and strengthening surveillance mechanisms across local government areas.

Public health structures, including emergency operations centres and disease control teams, have been mobilised as part of efforts to contain any potential spread and reassure residents.

Authorities are urging the public to rely only on verified information as health teams continue monitoring the situation.