The Cross River State Government has refuted claims circulating in a national newspaper that 10 new symptomatic COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the state, insisting that the report is incorrect and misleading.
The clarification follows public concern triggered by the publication, which suggested a possible increase in infections after alleging that several individuals were showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, had previously confirmed a single COVID-19 case involving a Chinese national working in Cross River, who is currently undergoing treatment and reportedly recovering well.
In a fresh statement issued on Thursday in Calabar, Ayuk maintained that the state still has only one confirmed case as of April 23, 2026, adding that no new confirmed or suspected cases have been identified.
He explained that the individuals referred to in the report are not patients but contacts of the confirmed case who were identified through routine contact tracing efforts carried out by health authorities.
According to him, none of the 10 persons are showing symptoms or meet the official criteria for suspected COVID-19 cases. He added that they are currently under home observation and being monitored by health officials as a precaution.
Ayuk stressed that the isolation measure is purely preventive and should not be interpreted as evidence of additional infections, reiterating that Cross River State has not recorded any new COVID-19 cases.
