INTRODUCTION:
In Nigeria the first index case was from a traveller from outside the country. Later, there were community transmission in close settings. We had capacity to test for COVID-19 as far back as 2nd February, 2020. The objectives were to ascertain the transmutability of the CoV-2 from travellers returning to Nigeria. To rule out community transmission. Rule out Patient to healthcare workers transmission within the hospital environment. Detect the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2, isolate them from the community and treated in order to stop the pandemic.

METHODS:
Oro pharyngeal and nasopharyngeal samples from suspected COVID-19 patients were received from 17 States and the Federal Capital Territory and tested for SARS-CoV-2. Following the manufacturers instruction, samples were inactivated and extracted, confirmatory tests done with qRT-PCR kits using Rotor Gene Q 5-plex.

RESULTS:
We tested 7498 samples, negatives from other states were 1311 (17.48%) with 322 (24.56%) positives. Edo State had 6187 (82.52%) samples with 1382 (18.43%) positives. Number admitted in ISTH were 173, and 132 discharged with 17*deaths, case fatality rate was 1.23%, 24 were non-COVID-19 related, and `125 were treated at home. No mortality amongst the infected healthcare workers in ISTH. CFR of 1.23% for CoV-2 patients admitted in isolation ward at ISTH. Non-disclosure of the positive status of CoV-2 was the most important cause for the spread of the disease from Nigerians who had earlier returned from outside the country.

CONCLUSIONS:
Patients with poor outcome were those that came to the hospital already in critical conditions accompanied with previous underlying illness. Hospital workers who came down with COVID-19 claimed to have acquired it from patients they attended to. This is deceit which should not be accepted from Hospital workers because when the health-workers leave the Hospital premises, they don`t wear nose/mouth masks. Pandemics will always happen unnoticed.