Coronavirus: Botswana records first case of dreaded disease
- Botswana has recorded its first case of the Coronavirus
- The news was confirmed by the nation's director of health services, Malaki Tshipayagae
- Tshipayagae said that investigations into the development are still ongoing
The first case of Coronavirus in Botswana, a southwestern country in the African continent, was confirmed on Friday, January 31.
The outbreak of the disease was recorded and made public by Malaki Tshipayagae, the nation's director of health services.
Tshipayagae said that the case was registered at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport upon arrival of an Ethiopian Airways plane from China.
The health boss said that for now, investigations into the nature of the symptoms on the patient are still underway.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that following the devastating spread of Coronavirus, a United States (US)'s airlines, Delta, had suspended flights bound to China.
Delta Airlines made this decision on Friday, January 31, as a preventive measure towards the epidemic that has claimed a lot of lives in many countries of the world.
The airlines said that the suspension of flights to the Asian country will begin from Thursday, February 6 to Thursday, April 6.
The aviation firm said that flights to China will continue up to Wednesday, February 5, to allow persons in China arrive in the US due to increasing concerns over the virus.
Meanwhile, the federal government of Nigeria on Friday, January 31, said that citizens were free to visit the Asian nation.
The new directive was issued by the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, on Friday based on some resolutions made after an inter-ministerial meeting held in Abuja.
Mohammed, speaking to journalists, said that a travel advisory was much better than declaring a ban because doing would be the same as stigmatising the country in question.
The minister also said that except Nigerians in the central city of Wuhan indicate interest to return home, the federal government cannot force them to do so. He added that according to the Nigerian embassy in China, there are about 16 Nigerians in the city and that they are in safe hands.
The minister said: “I know we have Nigerians in Wuhan; our Embassy in China has confirmed that we have about 16 Nigerians in Wuhan and they are in touch with them.
"They have, however, not indicated their interest to come home. They will, however, contact our embassy if they like to come home.”
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Going forward, he said that there is a great need for public sensitisation of Nigerians on the disease and that those intending to travel to the Asian nation should be very transparent about it.
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Source: Legit.ng
