Chinese
supermarket in Abuja this week over concerns about the spreading
coronavirus.
The supermarket is a major gathering spot for Chinese citizens and expatriates living in the Nigerian capital. The aisles and checkout area of the Panda supermarket are usually packed with shoppers.
But
all were empty Friday, two days after officials of Nigeria’s Federal
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) closed the
market.
The
head of the commission, Babtunde Irukera, said the market
was closed because of concern about imported products that could carry
the coronavirus.
"The
operatives of the place admitted that those things were imported from
China,” Irukera said. "Our suspicion is not whether those products that
we saw there are host carriers of the virus, but it was more of the fact
that ... is there a potential for a risk?"
Numbers climb
More
than 200 people have died since the virus was confirmed in Wuhan,
China, and nearly 10,000 others are infected and fighting symptoms that
include fever and respiratory difficulties. The WHO has declared the
coronavirus outbreak a global emergency.
So
far, there have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus on the
African continent, although one suspected case has been reported in
Botswana.
The head of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekwazu, said the government was not taking any chances.
"The
first thing we're doing is learning everyday about critical aspects of
the virus — how it is transmitted, how many people die from it, how many
severe cases it causes,” Ihekwazu said. "There's new information coming
up every day. We're working closely with [the World Health
Organization] to identify specific measures for controlling the outbreak
but also to advise government on what to do in terms of trade and
travel and all of that."
Officials of the supermarket declined to comment on the shutdown.
Other businesses
Meanwhile, Irukera
of the FCCPC said the regulatory agency planned to visit other
Chinese-run businesses in Nigeria that might pose a risk of the virus.
"We've
identified some locations in Lagos that we'd also be reaching to try
and stop the supply of these products,” Irukera said. "There's a larger
plan. I know that customs is on more sensitive alert — the ports
authority, the ministry of health."
Nigerian
health authorities have begun screening Chinese nationals entering
Nigeria, and they also have urged citizens traveling to China to suspend
their trips indefinitely.
voa