Evacuation of Nigerians from China suffers setback after 72 of them test positive for coronavirus

PLANS by Nigeria to immediately evacuate her citizens from China suffered a serious setback after 72 citizens in the city of Guangzhou tested coronavirus positive meaning that  they cannot be airlifted immediately.

Over the last few weeks, Nigeria has stepped up plans to evacuate her citizens from China in response to the discriminatory manner in which the authorities there are treating Africans. However, one of the conditions of being evacuated is that every applicants must be tested for the virus and come out positive before they are allowed to leave.

However, after recent testing, 72 of the evacuees from awaiting evacuation in Guangzhou city in Guangdong Province proved to be positive. On Tuesday, an additional 56 Nigerians tested positive and were diagnosed as asymptomatic, raising concern that they might have infected other people.

With the additional 56 Nigerians testing positive had earlier tested positive for the virus, the total number of affected people in China came to 72. A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government, said: “According to the data by the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission on April 21, there are currently 16 confirmed cases and 56 positive test cases among Nigerian citizens in Guangzhou, as well as 65 cases of contact."

“We invite the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Guangzhou to supervise Nigerian citizens in Guangzhou so they can abide by the law of the People’s Republic of China on the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Asian citizens understand Guangzhou’s epidemic prevention and control, work and cooperate with China’s political support.”

These 56 citizens are part of the over 2,000 Nigerians from China, the United States, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, who had indicated interest in returning to Nigeria on account of the coronavirus pandemic. So far, 111 other African nationals also tested positive for Covid-19 during the ongoing tests of 4,553 people in Guangzhou city.