The Lagos State Government says it has begun intensive contact tracing for the passengers that travelled with the third confirmed case of COVID-19 on board British Airways.

The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made this known at a media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos.

Abayomi said that the third case came on a BA75 flight that arrived in Lagos on March 13.

According to him, the third case lives with her parents and one sibling, saying that the entire family had been transferred to the infectious diseases Hospital at Yaba, as a preventive measure and for monitoring.

Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, had earlier on Tuesday confirmed a third case of COVID-19 in the country.

He said that the new case was an independent of the index case (the Italian) currently being treated at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba.

Ehanire said the third case was a 30-year-old Nigerian female who just returned from the UK on March 13, adding that the case observed self-isolation, developed symptoms and tested positive to COVID-19.

“We have started the contact tracing process and thankfully she obeyed the instruction and she confined herself to her home where she has been in contact with her immediate family. That helps us tremendously, because it helps us with the contact tracing”.

“We will be reaching out to the passengers of the flight as we did with the index case. But, while we are making this public announcement, anybody who was on that flight as a passenger should reach out to the emergency numbers or the new toll-free number – 0800-CORONA,” he said.

Besides, Abayomi said there were three suspected cases at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba. He identified them as a Nigerian that returned from U.S on March 10.

He said that the U.S traveller came through the Middle East, and had developed symptoms of high fever and body pain.

The commissioner said that another traveller from UK and a traveller from Indian came through Cairo.

He said that the test of the three suspected cases would be released soon, urging residents to be vigilant and report any suspected case to the ministry. (NAN)