Nigeria has recorded a fresh case of COVID-19, with health authorities confirming a new infection in Cross River State, years after the global pandemic was largely brought under control.
The state Ministry of Health said it has begun contact tracing and profiling of individuals who may have been exposed to the infected patient, a Chinese national who was admitted after testing positive for the virus.
Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, disclosed the development on Tuesday in Calabar while briefing journalists, describing it as the state’s first significant COVID-19 case since 2022.
According to him, the patient arrived in Nigeria on March 17, 2026, and is believed to have contracted the virus locally after the 14-day incubation period, with symptoms appearing around April 10.
Ayuk assured residents that the state government is responding swiftly to contain any possible spread, urging citizens to remain calm but vigilant.
He said health teams have been deployed to communities in Akamkpa Local Government Area, where the patient reportedly resides and works, as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
“We are fully on top of the situation and have mobilised our response teams to ensure there is no spread,” he said, while advising residents to continue their normal daily activities with caution.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Cross River, Yewande Olatunde, also cautioned residents to maintain health safety practices, stressing that COVID-19 has not been completely eradicated globally and continues to mutate into new variants.
She urged the public to adhere to basic preventive measures and remain alert to possible symptoms.
The development comes years after the global COVID-19 outbreak, which first emerged in late 2019 and triggered widespread lockdowns, economic disruptions, and millions of deaths worldwide.
In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) previously reported about 3,000 deaths linked to the virus during the height of the pandemic.
Although vaccination campaigns and public health measures helped curb its spread, occasional cases continue to be recorded globally.
Health officials say surveillance systems remain active to quickly detect and respond to any resurgence, while reassuring the public that the country is prepared to manage isolated infections.
