Lafarge Africa Plc says it has identified the persons who had direct contact with the individual who tested positive to Coronavirus in Nigeria.

The company stated this in a statement on Friday, by Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Director, Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Ambrose-Medebem said that the company had equally initiated isolation, quarantine and disinfection protocol at Ewekoro plant.

“As a business, we have immediately identified the persons who had direct contact with the concerned individual.

“The individual concerned works for a vendor that provides services to Lafarge Africa Plc in Ogun State,” she stated.

Ambrose-Medebem commended the exemplary leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ogun and Lagos State Government for swiftly providing response and testing facilities.

She noted that the company was working fully with all the local authorities.

“Lafarge Africa is also working in close partnership with International SOS, our medical service provider, a leading global health company.

“Health and safety remains a core value at Lafarge Africa and we intend to leverage this strength at this critical time,” Ambrose-Medebem added.

NAN reports that the Ministry of Health in Lagos State had confirmed the first case of the disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria, which incidentally is the first in West Africa since the outbreak in China in January.

“In the last 12 hours, the first case of the chronic virus has been identified in Nigeria and the individual was visiting Ogun State.

“The individual is of Italian origin and he is a consultant to the Lafarge, Ewekoro factory,” it said early on Friday. (NAN)