Be careful our gene does not resist Coronavirus – Health minister warns

The minister of state for health, Adeleke Mamora, Monday advised Nigerians against being complacent, saying that the pandemic disease, ‘Coronavirus’ is dangerous than most people think. Mamora added that ‘our gene’ does not resist the disease, owing to speculations that black man’s gene resists the virus. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, Mamora opined that a Nigerian doctor has died in Canada after contracting coronavirus. His words according to Thecable “We must be conscious of not being complacent, the price to pay for complacency is huge. I have heard people say that the black man’s gene is resistant and so COVID-19 is not for us,” he said. “Don’t forget, some black men even from Africa, even from Nigeria have died, unfortunately. We heard the story of one doctor who lived in Italy, a Nigerian, a black man. “So we should not get carried away. There are a lot of things known about COVID-19 and there are still things unknown. We have to be very careful about believing claims that are yet to be fully validated.” Olumide Okunuga, a Nigerian doctor who lived in Italy, was reported to have contracted the disease in Canada. Mamora said calls to reveal the identity of the index case are contrary to the patient confidentiality clause which offers him protection. “If you recall the case of the Nigerian doctor that lived in Italy but died in Canada or something. His daughter was called to identify him from a distance,” he said explaining that contact with the index patient is not advised.