The 17 pilots and flight attendants on Wednesday moved to Lagos to be quarantined by the ministry of health with the Lagos State government and the carrier's management.
Initially the Chinese health personnel were quarantined in Abuja.
The Chinese team brought about 16 tons of test kits, medical masks, disinfection machine, ventilators, face shield, protection, goggles, infra-red thermometer and many more.
The minister of health provided that, the health personnel will be quarantined for 14day b4 operations will be carry on. But most of them didn't agree with that idea.
Meanwhile, before the crew departed the Lagos airport, one of the 17 crew members had escaped and left apparently for his house, unknown to the port health officials.
This was not discovered until Thursday evening when a head count was conducted at the quarantine centre.
It was also at this time officials discovered that two out of the 16 crew members brought to the Scholars Lodge had also escaped.
Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that the Ministry of Health and Lagos State Government had reached out to the management of the airline over the whereabouts of the two crew members.
As of the time of filing this report, it had yet to be ascertained where the two crew members were.
When contacted on Friday, the Director, Port Health Services, Ministry of Health, Dr Morenike Alex-Okoh, in her reaction, said she was not authorised to speak on the matter. She directed our correspondent to the minister of health or the health ministry’s permanent secretary.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Abdullahi Mashi, confirmed the development but noted that the cabin crew members who left the quarantine centre had returned to the facility, saying “they are back now.”
Asked further about the health risks of the crew leaving the quarantine, having met several other contacts during that period, Mashi said, “They are back, it is left for the Lagos State surveillance team to work on that. They will do the needful. The important thing is that they are back.”
Air Peace also confirmed the development but did not explain the reasons the crew members left the facility.
The Chief Operating Officer, Air Peace, Mrs Toyin Olajide, in a terse message to Sunday PUNCH said, “All crew are back in the quarantine facility, including the engineer.”
Asked when the crew members returned to the facility, she said “Friday afternoon.”
She did not give reasons the crew left the quarantine facility.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogunye, when contacted on the matter, confirmed the development but noted that all the 17 pilots and flight attendants were back in the facility.
Ogunye, who spoke through the spokesperson for the state health ministry, Mr Tubosun Ogubanwo, said, “The state government has reached out to all the 17 pilots and flight attendants through the Epidemiology and Surveillance Team on COVID-19. So, all 17 of them are now together.”
Asked further on the health implications of the crew leaving the quarantine centre and returning after about 24 h
ours, Ogunye said, “What I want you to know is that the state government has reached out to them and necessary action has been taken. I believe the team is in charge of it.”
Initially the Chinese health personnel were quarantined in Abuja.
The Chinese team brought about 16 tons of test kits, medical masks, disinfection machine, ventilators, face shield, protection, goggles, infra-red thermometer and many more.
The minister of health provided that, the health personnel will be quarantined for 14day b4 operations will be carry on. But most of them didn't agree with that idea.
Meanwhile, before the crew departed the Lagos airport, one of the 17 crew members had escaped and left apparently for his house, unknown to the port health officials.
This was not discovered until Thursday evening when a head count was conducted at the quarantine centre.
It was also at this time officials discovered that two out of the 16 crew members brought to the Scholars Lodge had also escaped.
Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that the Ministry of Health and Lagos State Government had reached out to the management of the airline over the whereabouts of the two crew members.
As of the time of filing this report, it had yet to be ascertained where the two crew members were.
When contacted on Friday, the Director, Port Health Services, Ministry of Health, Dr Morenike Alex-Okoh, in her reaction, said she was not authorised to speak on the matter. She directed our correspondent to the minister of health or the health ministry’s permanent secretary.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Abdullahi Mashi, confirmed the development but noted that the cabin crew members who left the quarantine centre had returned to the facility, saying “they are back now.”
Asked further about the health risks of the crew leaving the quarantine, having met several other contacts during that period, Mashi said, “They are back, it is left for the Lagos State surveillance team to work on that. They will do the needful. The important thing is that they are back.”
Air Peace also confirmed the development but did not explain the reasons the crew members left the facility.
The Chief Operating Officer, Air Peace, Mrs Toyin Olajide, in a terse message to Sunday PUNCH said, “All crew are back in the quarantine facility, including the engineer.”
Asked when the crew members returned to the facility, she said “Friday afternoon.”
She did not give reasons the crew left the quarantine facility.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogunye, when contacted on the matter, confirmed the development but noted that all the 17 pilots and flight attendants were back in the facility.
Ogunye, who spoke through the spokesperson for the state health ministry, Mr Tubosun Ogubanwo, said, “The state government has reached out to all the 17 pilots and flight attendants through the Epidemiology and Surveillance Team on COVID-19. So, all 17 of them are now together.”
Asked further on the health implications of the crew leaving the quarantine centre and returning after about 24 h
