As the global community mobilises against the further spread of the deadly coronavirus, Nigerian and Chinese companies are counting their losses to the disease outbreak.

The virus, which first broke out in Wuhan, China, has reportedly claimed 213 lives and infected about 9,800 people, both Chinese and nationals of other countries.

Nigerian companies have abandoned and also denied the importation of Chinese goods such as N95 mask, a device used for protection against the disease.

Since the virus broke out, the volume of import from China into Nigerian ports have dropped. Sources said some owners of imported Chinese products have failed to come forward to clear them.

Top officials confirmed yesterday at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos that imports from China had significantly dropped.

It was also gathered that the Chinese government had also refused the export of masks for controlling the spread of the disease to Nigeria.

An agro expert and chief executive officer of Kvas Group, who doubles as a link between importers and exporters in Nigeria and China, Dr. Kenechukwu Nnamani, revealed that a disposable N95 Mask (respirator), a safety device that covers the nose and mouth and helps protect the wearer from breathing in some hazardous substances has been prohibited by the Chinese government for exportation.

Nnamani said that he sent out an order to some Chinese firms to ship some of the masks to Nigeria in preparation for any uncertainty from the outbreak of the coronavirus, but was told that the product had been prohibited by the government.

He explained that it would be a time bomb if the N95 mask that protects one from breathing in small particles in the air such as dust and mould was denied Nigeria at this time.

“The mask is designed to filter out at least 95 per cent of the dust and mould in the air. And it could prevent people from communicating the virus with ease,” Nnamani said.

He said that the wearing of facemask in China is now mandatory.

“In the US, major retailers are selling out of basic surgical masks amid panic from consumers. And the Chinese government has refused its sale to Nigeria. This is why we are encouraging industries to use their technicalities to produce more of N95 mask to help cushion the effect of this world menace, as the demands continued to be high,” he said.

The N95 respirator is the most common of the seven types of particulate filtering face-piece respirators. This product filters at least 95 per cent of airborne particles but is not resistant to oil.

These products are referred to as “Surgical N95 Respirators”.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declares the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency. As the virus continues to spread, so has anti-Chinese sentiment.

In fact, the screening of passengers and cargoes for the coronavirus has taken a major toll on clearing and forwarding agents at the Hajj Camp of MMIA in Lagos.

Although, cargoes are no longer coming in freely from China as at yesterday, checks at the cargo terminal of airport showed that no serious preventive or protective measures were in place to guard against the virus infection or spread.

Facilities at both the import and export units were not protected as obtained at the passengers’ terminal of the airport.

Speaking at NAHCO Shed of the MMA, yesterday, a clearing and forwarding agent, Sunday Offor, lamented that since in the last three days, most airlines had refused to carry both passengers and their cargoes from China to Nigeria.

Offor who specializes in clearing and forwarding goods from and to China, said that Air France is the only carrier that had accepted to bring in goods from China while others had rejected them.

He said that his business had been adversely affected since the outbreak of the virus a few weeks ago.

Offor said: “I know they are fighting the disease but that has affected our work here. The government should know what to do, so that we continue with our business.”

Another agent, who simply identified himself as Sunday, claimed that no preventive measures had been put in place to check the virus as far the cargo terminal was concerned.

He confirmed that goods from China were no longer coming into Nigeria as usual.

Checks at the passengers’ terminal of the MMIA, showed that FAAN in collaboration with Port Health personnel were keeping a close watch on travellers.

Right from the point of entry at MMIA, primary screenings were ongoing and the passengers were very cooperative.

As part of the screening exercise, the airport authority along with health personnel were seen monitoring the temperature of all arriving passengers as well as carrying out enhanced visual observation in case of any symptoms of communicable diseases.

It was gathered that focus was on the point of entry, on board the aircraft, at the Passenger Handling Service on the arrival queue, and within the terminal building.

Although, no passenger was referred to any form of secondary screening till yesterday evening, it was obvious that the airport officials were on the lookout for any possible infiltration of passengers who may be carrying the virus.

FAAN had a few days ago, issued an advisory where it enjoined travellers and airport users to comply with all quarantine procedures and submit themselves for routine quarantine checks whenever they were asked to at the nation’s airports.

The regional manager, South West FAAN, Mrs Victoria Shin Aba, who gave a breakdown of activities to control the coronavirus if detected, explained that at the point of entry (MMIA) primary screening was ongoing.

She stated that passengers with any of the following: Fever-temperature above or equal to 38 degrees Celsius, jaundice, skin rash, persistent diarrhoea, persistent cough or difficulty in breathing, complains of headache, neck stiffness, decreased consciousness, lethargy, unexplained bleeding, as well as persistent vomiting, were referred to secondary screening

Passengers, who are referred to secondary screening, are issued another form and if there is an obvious public health threat, the passenger is transferred to the designated hospital (Lagos State Mainland Hospital) following appropriate protocols (SOP) for further evaluation.

Shin-Aba said that passengers who are exposed may be in the incubation period (disease causing organism present in the body with no obvious symptom or sign) when they enter the country, like in the case of Duncan when he entered United States with Ebola in 2014.

She emphasised that mooted collaboration and observance of basic infection prevention and control measures by stakeholders were important and were being strengthened.

Also, the Federal Ministry of Health said that it is working with the relevant ministries and agencies to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response to public health emergencies at the country’s various points of entry.

As a further step to ensure collaborative, inclusive and coordinated response to the outbreak, the ministry called for this inter-ministerial coordination meeting, from which an action plan and committee could be borne.

“We are here to review national strategies and plans, as well as assign roles and responsibilities. Our ministry is finalising plans with the Enugu, Lagos, Kano, and Rivers, and FCT authorities to enhance surveillance and preparedness response activities in their states.

“Preliminary data suggest that the coronavirus has virulent characteristics similar to SARS, MERS-coronavirus, making it likely that without its intervention, it could spread to communities and overwhelm healthcare facilities around the country. This gives us reason for concern.

“As of 31st of January 2020, more than 9,700 confirmed cases have been reported mostly in mainland China alone, and about 100 cases around the world. Fatality as of this morning is 213, all of it from the Hubei region of China where the epidemic epicenter is and there is no casualty anywhere else.

“There were two case alerts in Africa as we heard. In Côte d’Ivoire, the young lady that studies in China and travelled back home with symptoms has tested negative. Also, there is one in Kenya whose status is unclear. There have been no confirmed cases in Africa, but the potential has been clearly demonstrated,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved additional N71 million for the Port Health Services, adding that resources were being provided to scale up surveillance and screening activities. (Leadership)

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