The motion picture industry and organisers of the recently held African Magic viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA), Multichoice, are in panic mode as Lagos State finally declares that attendees may have been exposed to coronavirus infection.
The State’s health commissioner, Prof. Akin Abayomi, announced earlier on Tuesday in a tweet via his twitter handle @ProfAkinAbayomi that a suspected COVID-19 infected person did attend the event and might have mingled freely with guests at the star-studded show which held at Eko hotel on Saturday March 14.
He wrote: “I hereby notify you that all participants at the African Magic viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA) held on 14th March at @EkoHotels may have come in contact with one of the confirmed cases in Lagos and are most likely to have been exposed to #COVID19 Infection.”
The commissioner also urged attendees to observe strict self-isolation for two weeks and contact health workers should they notice any coronavirus-related symptoms.
Shortly after the event penultimate Saturday, social media reports had indicated that a guest at the show had opened up that he was exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
However, the individual who reportedly refused to alert health authorities in Nigeria, said he would preferred to be treated in the UK, where he claims to reside.
He later turned himself in and was examined by health officials in Lagos State, according to reports.
The 7th edition of the awards, which held at a time when the coronavirus pandemic began spreading in Nigeria, recorded a large turnout of Nollywood stars, celebrities in the entertainment industry, corporate sector players and journalists.
More than 3,000 people are said to have attended both the ceremony and the after-party.