2,000 Nigerians tested for COVID-19 as cases hit 174

With a population above 200 million, Nigeria has so far been able to test over 2,000 of her citizens for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Out of this figure, there are presently 174 positive cases (as at 8p.m. yesterday) drawn from 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as Akwa Ibom State joined with five confirmed cases.

Thirty-five new confirmed cases were recorded yesterday. Based on updated case confirmations, Lagos State now has 91 cases followed by FCT with 35 cases and Osun State with 14 cases. Also, Oyo State has eight cases, Akwa Ibom has five cases, Ogun and Edo and Kaduna states have four cases each, Bauchi has three cases, leaving Enugu and Ekiti with two cases each, while Rivers and Benue states recorded one case each.

Speaking at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who noted that so far, over 2,000 persons have been tested for COVID-19 in the country, stressed that men and women of all ages could be infected with the virus.

He expressed hope of further expanding and improving diagnostic capacity across board, to shorten turnaround time and increase volume. Ehanire said that Nigerians have to be tested in one of the seven Nigeria’s molecular laboratories for the result to be valid.
The minister also disclosed that the latest 12 cases of Coronavirus announced yesterday are Nigerian returnees from Cote D’voire. Ehanire said: “As of now, over 2,000 persons have been tested. We are expanding our diagnostic capacity to test across the country. This is expected to improve turnaround time and enhance timely access to testing.”
The minister, who said nine patients have been discharged, explained that the two deaths recorded in the country were due to severe underlining ailments which aggravated their conditions. According to him, the ongoing lockdown activities in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states had provided the Health Ministry an opportunity to accelerate its activities to detect, isolate and treat cases.
His words: “This is important because our ability to achieve the objectives in these states will largely define our success in slowing the spread of infection in our country.
“As the federal and state governments deploy human and material resources to achieve this, a critical factor will be the cooperation of members of the public.

“I shall, at this point, remind everyone of the injunctions of His Excellency, the President to all citizens to stay at home in the areas under lockdown. By doing this, you would have contributed a lot to the efforts of government to quickly put coronavirus under control and return to our routine activities.”
The minister applauded the efforts of all health workers and other emergency responders, especially those who go beyond the call of duty.
“We again urge families to protect their elderly and vulnerable people by not exposing them to unnecessary social hazards. “Vaccines against Coronavirus are still a long way off, so that interventions such as social distancing and self-isolation are all we have to curb the spread of the disease.
“We must all continue to obey directives and measures instituted by the government, even if not convenient and take them as a sacrifice for the common good,” he appealed. Meanwhile, as a palliative to cushion the effects of the lockdown, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of 70,000 metric tons of grains to Nigerians from the national grains reserve.
This was disclosed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who doubles as the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, yesterday at the body’s dai-ly briefing in Abuja. Mustapha, who announced the adoption of a document of implementation guide and protocols for the COVID-19 lockdown policy, equally disclosed that the President had granted partial exemption for operators of the upstream subsector of the nation’s oil and gas in the upstream sector. On the presidential approval for the release of grains to Nigerians, the SGF said it was part of plans to ensure some level of comfort for people across the country, especially in areas where the restriction order is strictest, adding that the first tranche would go to Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states.
“The President has approved the release of 70,000 metric tons of grains from the National Strategic Reserve, for distribution to the poor, the vulnerable and those whose livelihoods will be affected by the lockdown.

“The first tranche of about 6,000 metric tons will go to Lagos, Ogun and the FCT, while the remaining will go to other frontline states in the fight against COVID-19.
“In the continuing effort to ensure very minimal disruption of upstream oil and gas exploration and operation in Nigeria, Mr. President has approved limited operations exemptions for operating companies, services and logistics companies in the Nigerian upstream sector.
“They will ensure regular gas supplies to power turbines that supply domestic electricity,” he said. On the level of compliance to the restriction order by the President, Mustapha said the PTF had been impressed by the reports received so far, noting though that there were still some reports indicating that security operatives were having challenges, especially in states where governors had introduced their own set of measures. Also speaking at the briefing, Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, assured that the ministry was doing everything necessary to see that the COVID-19 never spreads to the Correctional Centres (prisons).
“I can assure you that all efforts, all actions required to ensure that there’s no occurrence or spread of COVID- 19 in any of those Correctional Centres are being done,” the minister said.