Nigerian Tests Positive For Coronavirus In US

A Nigerian has tested positive for coronavirus in the United States of America, District of Columbia (DC) Mayor, Muriel Bowser, confirmed in a news conference on Saturday night.

The unidentified man, who passed through Washington, is in his 50s and lives in Nigeria, but had been staying with family members in Washington recently, officials said.

He tested positive in Maryland, where he remains hospitalised, Bowser said.

“DC Health has been notified by the State of Maryland of an individual who stayed in DC before presenting himself to a Maryland hospital and then tested positive for COVID-19 by the State of Maryland. DC Health is conducting contact tracing of the patient and individuals of known contact. CDC will classify this as a DC case because he stayed in DC for one night when he arrived in this country,” officials stated.

The Nigerian is the second confirmed case in the US capital after another man also in his 50s tested positive for coronavirus.

Bowser said the initial case started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 in late February. He was admitted to a Washington hospital on Thursday and appeared to have no history of international travel and no close contacts to any other confirmed cases across the US.

The mayor and public health officials sought to reassure the public and said DC has adequate tests to evaluate patients.

Bowser did not declare a state of emergency.

“While this is first case in the District, there is still no widespread community transmission and the general level of risk for residents is low,” the DC Department of Health said in a statement.