Nigerian who tested positive for coronavirus recovers

The patient will soon be released to go back home after clearing the virus that has killed hundreds of thousands across the world.

Nigeria has recorded success in its fight against the novel Coronavirus, as it's second confirmed positive case has now tested negative.

Nigeria recorded its first Coronavirus case in late February 2020, weeks after it was first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

The first case was discovered when a 44-year-old Italian businessman landed in Lagos, the country's most populous city.

Barely a week after the discovery of the first case, a second case of the deadly disease was recorded earlier this week. The second case had made contact with the Italian businessman in Ogun State.

Despite testing positive for the virus, the patient didn't show any significant clinical symptoms. He was immediately placed in isolation and under clinical follow up at Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire [Twitter/@OsagieEhanire]

While speaking during a media briefing on Friday, March 13, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire announced that the second case has now tested negative and will soon be allowed to go home.

"The contact of the index case is testing negative for the virus now, meaning he has cleared the virus and will be allowed to go home,” Ehanire was quoted as saying by Channels TV.

Speaking on the index case, the minister said he's progressing and is expected to be discharged soon too.

All other contacts of the Italian in Ogun and Lagos will remain in isolation and testing will be carried out on those not yet tested, including some in other states.

As of Thursday, March 12, a total of 43 people had been screened for the virus in Lagos, Ogun, Edo, FCT, Kano, Rivers, and Yobe, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

All tested negative except for the Italian and the second patient that has now recovered.

Over 5000 people have been killed by the virus which has spread to dozens of countries across the world, infecting over 137,000.

Over 70,000 infected people have also recovered from the virus.