Coronavirus: Nigerian Government Evacuates Stranded NCDC Staff From Congo

The Nigerian Government has evacuated staff of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control stranded in the Republic of Congo.

In a statement, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Congo, Deborah Iliya, commended the government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for deploying an aircraft to airlift the stranded personnel back to Nigeria.

According to Iliya, the NCDC staff had travelled to Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, to undergo a special capacity building course by the World Health Organisation in order to expand their knowledge of Coronavirus management.

The statement reads, “The medical team had been stranded following the closure of air and land borders by the host country ostensibly for similar situation.

“In the same vein, the ambassador, on behalf of the Government of Nigeria, has commended the government and good people of the Republic of Congo for the singular act of solidarity and standing on good relations by the temporal opening of her airport to facilitate the departure of the team on March 26, 2020.

“This act has in no small measure further strengthened the bilateral harmony that exists between the two countries.

“This trying moment calls for unity, support for each other and forging a common front against Coronavirus and all that stands against peace.”

At the moment, Africa has 4,480 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 135 deaths, with 97 infections and one death coming from Nigeria.