President Muhammadu Buhari administration on Tuesday banned all government officials from embarking on foreign trips as Nigeria recorded its third case of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made this known after the inaugural meeting of the Presidential Task Force Team on the COVID-19.

Nigeria’s health minister, Osagie Ehanire, had earlier in the day confirmed the country’s third case – a 30-year-old Nigerian who arrived in Lagos from the UK on 13 March.

We understands that global deaths and infections from virus have surpassed those inside China, where the outbreak was first recorded, for the first time since late last year.

More than 175,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in over 160 countries and territories, with major outbreaks in mainland China, Italy, Iran, and South Korea.

Over 6,700 people have died from the disease and more than 77,000 have recovered.