NIGERIA’S health minister Dr Osagie Ehanire has warned that there is a nigh possibility that coronavirus can be transmitted sexually although there is no conclusive medical evidence to prove this theory either way.
In the main, Nigeria has been spared the worst effects of the global pandemic as the country has only recorded 65 affected people with just one death. However, the government has taken several measures to prevent its spread, including the shutting of all Nigeria’s five international airports, closing the country’s borders and receiving medical equipment from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma.
Dr Ehanire has led the fight against the virus in Nigeria, introducing a series of measures including partial shutdowns and the opening of two test centres in Lagos and Abuja. Before the closure of the airports, anyone returning to Nigeria from abroad was mandated to spend 14 days on isolation before being let into the wider society.
Yesterday, Dr Ehanire added that he believed that if a person is positive, the virus can be transmitted sexually. This is, however, subject to scientific testing as the Covid-19 is a new virus and a lot of research is ongoing on the pattern of transmission of the disease.
However, some scientists have claimed that the virus cannot be transmitted through sexual intercourse except via oral sex. Scientist, Jessica Justman, said they are not seeing patterns that indicate sexual transmission but she advised that when a partner is a Covid-19 case, it is better to steer clear of each other as much as possible.
It has, however, been proven that Covid-19 can be transmitted from person to person and primarily spread through respiratory droplets. Touching contaminated surfaces is thought to be the secondary mode of transmission.
This is one of the reasons why the World Health Organisation and experts have been campaigning that people should always wash their hands with soap and water as much as possible and when that is not possible, the use of sanitizer is advised. People have also been advised to avoid crowds, large gatherings and needless physical contact and to always clean surfaces frequently with disinfectants.
