NCDC Weekly Epidemiological Report: Issue: Volume 11 No. 33: 10th – 16th August 2020

COVID-19: Provisional Mandatory Institutional Quarantine Protocol for Returnees

The severe impacts of the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the global socio-economic, educational and political structures cannot be over-emphasised. One key area of concern has been the disruption to local and international trade resulting from the global ban on international air travels at the initial stage of the pandemic. Nigeria is also one of the countries that implemented this ban to prevent further importation of the virus particularly from countries categorised as high risk.

However, since the 2nd week of May 2020, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) put in place measures to enable the phased evacuation of Nigerians living abroad due to increased demand to return home. NCDC has been working closely with Ports Health Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure immediate identification and monitoring of persons of interest returning via the Lagos and Abuja international airports

As part of measures to continue to open up the economy, the FGN recently announced the resumption of international flights from the 5th of September, 2020. In line with this, the Presidential Task Force on the 4th of September, released a provisional quarantine protocol for travelers arriving from outside Nigeria. Below are key excerpts which returnees must be familiar with before travelling to Nigeria:

1. Passengers must test negative by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from country of exit 96 hours before departure and preferably within 72 hours pre-boarding.

2. All intending passengers are required to register via – http://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng and pay for a repeat (second) PCR test to be done upon arrival in Nigeria.

3. Return passengers must proceed on a 7-day self-isolation as per protocol and present at the designated sample collection sites on the 7th day of arrival.

4. Positive cases will be managed based on National Guidelines for COVID-19 treatment.

5. Passengers who test negative after 7 days will end self- isolation on the 8th day.

6. Return passengers with symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival will be placed in institutional quarantine.

We strongly urge returnees to abide by these protocols to protect themselves and their loved ones as well as reduce further risk of COVID-19 spreading in Nigeria.

Summary of Incidents

Notes

1. Information for this disease was retrieved from the Technical Working Group and Situation Reports

2. Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for this disease is reported for confirmed cases only

3. Information for this disease was retrieved from IDSR 002 data

4. CFR for this disease is reported for total cases i.e. suspected + confirmed

5. Information for sentinel influenza was retrieved from the laboratory