Health officials in Cross River have confirmed a new COVID-19 case years after the peak of the global pandemic.
Nigeria has recorded a fresh case of COVID-19, with authorities in Cross River State beginning urgent contact tracing after a Chinese national tested positive for the virus.
The Cross River State Ministry of Health said the patient was admitted after testing positive. This prompted officials to profile and trace people who may have come into contact with the individual.
State Health Commissioner Henry Ayuk said this is the first significant COVID-19 infection recorded in the state since 2022. He explained that the patient arrived in Nigeria on March 17, 2026, and is believed to have contracted the virus locally after exceeding the usual 14-day incubation period. Symptoms were reportedly noticed on April 10.
Ayuk said health workers have already been deployed across communities in Akamkpa Local Government Area, where the patient lived and worked, to prevent any further spread.
He urged residents to remain calm, continue normal lawful activities, and follow public health advice.
Meanwhile, the WHO coordinator in Cross River has warned that COVID-19 has not been fully eradicated globally. She said new variants continue to emerge and called on Nigerians to stay vigilant.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in late 2019, caused millions of deaths worldwide. In Nigeria, official figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control put deaths at about 3,000.
The latest case is a reminder that the virus has not disappeared and public health monitoring remains essential.
