As FG targets one infectious laboratory in each state
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said yesterday the 389 persons were infected with the COVID-19 bringing the total number of infections in the country from 11,844 reported on Friday to 12, 233.
The NCDC confirmed the development on its verified twitter handle said the cases were reports from 23 states including the FCT.
It listed the states as Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Delta, Oyo, Borno, Rivers, Edo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Gombe, Nasarawa, Imo, Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, Ogun, Bauchi, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Ondo, Abia and Niger.
The agency also said nine deaths were recorded.
The NCDC gave a breakdown of the 389 new infections as Lagos-66; FCT-50; Delta-32; Oyo-31; Borno-26; Rivers-24; Edo-23; Ebonyi-23; Anambra-17; Gombe-17; Nasarawa-14; Imo-12; Kano-12; Sokoto-12; Jigawa-8; Ogun-7; Bauchi-5; Kebbi-2; Kaduna-2; Katsina-2; Ondo-2; Abia-1; and Niger-1.
“Till date, 12, 233 cases have been confirmed, 3826 cases have been discharged and 342 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” it stated.
A breakdown of the 12, 233 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 5, 729 cases, followed by Kano – 997, FCT – 912, Katsina – 387, Edo – 387, Oyo – 365, Borno – 348, Kaduna – 337, Ogun – 336, Rivers – 332, Jigawa – 290, Bauchi – 286, Gombe – 201, Delta – 148, Sokoto – 127, Kwara – 127, Plateau – 113, Nasarawa – 104, Ebonyi – 103, Zamfara – 76, Imo – 59, Yobe – 52, Osun 49, Akwa Ibom – 45, Adamawa – 42, Niger – 42, Ondo – 40, Kebbi – 35, Enugu – 30, Bayelsa – 30, Anambra – 29, Ekiti – 25, Taraba – 18, Abia–16, Benue – 13, and Kogi – 3.
Meanwhile, the federal government said it was targeting at least one standard infectious disease laboratory in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and secretary to the government of the federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha disclosed this yesterday during a visit to the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) in Gaduwa, Abuja.
He said the country has the capacity of 30 testing centres as against the three that were in existence, when it first recorded the index case on February 27.
“Before now, Nigeria only had about three testing laboratories nationwide for testing of infectious diseases. Now, 100 days of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the country can now boast of having 30 testing centres.
“The government is targeting having at least one standard infectious disease laboratory in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT,” he said.
The director general of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who also spoke during the tour said the Centre would continue to work with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Medical Laboratory and Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) and other partners to carry out laboratory related research and validation, as Nigeria scales up her testing capacity.
Ihekweazu further said the NRL is the apex public health reference laboratory in Nigeria.
He explained that the laboratory which has the mandate to coordinate the diagnosis of diseases of public health importance.
“Since the first confirmed case was reported 100 days ago, (yesterday) several health workers have been at the forefront.
“We remain grateful to state task forces, emergency operations centres, rapid response teams, laboratory scientists and all health workers, who continue to work very hard for national health security.
“Our strategy is to ensure more people are tested, contacts are traced early to prevent further spread and confirmed cases are treated.
“In the absence of a vaccine, Nigeria and the rest of the world must depend on public health, social measures and supportive management of confirmed cases,” he added.
