The massive resurgence of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Brazil, Turkey, and India has prompted the Nigerian Government to impose fresh measures aimed at preventing further importation of the coronavirus into the country.
The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the new measures included a ban on entry of non-Nigerian passengers who had travelled to the three countries in the last 14 days.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Brazil, Turkey and India recorded a combined 2,670 deaths as of May 1, 2021.
The data also showed that Brazil recorded 60,013 additional cases and 2,278 new deaths in the last 24 hours.
Turkey recorded 28,817 new cases and 373 new deaths, while India registered 7,801 new cases and 19 new deaths on the same day.
Mustapha said Nigerians and other permanent residents who had been to these three countries in the last 14 days, would be allowed entry to the nation, but must undergo a one-week quarantine in a government-approved facility.
The SGF expressed the Nigerian Government’s empathy to the governments of the three countries, saying: “the country assures them of our commitment, unflinching support and solidarity at this time of need.”
The PSC chairman said the new travel restrictions are in line with Federal Government’s efforts, “to continue to safeguard the health of the Nigerian population, as well as to minimise the risk of a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.
He said the PSC carried out a risk assessment of countries with high incidence of cases, saying: “These precautionary measures are a necessary step to minimise the risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases into Nigeria from other countries, while national response activities continue.