Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the West African country's citizens to remain calm amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The president's call comes after the country confirmed its first case of the virus in Lagos last week. The patient was identified as an Italian who had flown into the country from Milan. He is however in stable condition now at a hospital in the city.

"We must refrain from panic; undue alarm would cause more harm than good. The only information citizens should pay attention to is the one being shared by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal & State Ministries of Health, and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC)," President Buhari said on Twitter.

He also called upon Nigerians to remain disciplined and follow the regulations laid out by the country's health authorities in efforts to avoid the spread of the virus.

"I commend the excellent responses of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Governments of Lagos & Ogun, and all other agencies, to the Coronavirus situation in Nigeria. I urge all Nigerians to strictly observe all the advisories being disseminated," he said.