Suspected coronavirus case in Katsina tests negative

The patient developed some symptoms that led to suspicion, but a test for coronavirus returned negative.

A suspected coronavirus case in Katsina State has tested negative, according to the state's Commissioner for Health, Yakubu Danja.

The patient recently returned from Malaysia and developed some symptoms that warranted further investigations.

During a media briefing on Thursday, March 19, 2020, Danja said a blood sample sent to the National Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) returned a negative result.

The commissioner called on residents in the state to avoid spreading panic about coronavirus and adhere to health instructions from authorities.

"We are appealing to people of Katsina State who have any health challenges to visit health facility and give all necessary information including travel history when you are unwell," he said.

Nigeria recently joined a growing list of countries banning travellers from other coronavirus-hit countries [Twitter/@MansurIB007]

Nigeria currently has 7 confirmed cases in total, all of them with a history of travel from Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Another person that previously tested positive last week later tested negative and was discharged days later. No deaths have been recorded in the country.

Since coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan, China in December, over 200,000 people have been infected, and at least 8,000 killed around the world. More than 82,000 people have also recovered from the virus.