COVID-19: Nigeria in desperate need of RNA kits – NCDC boss
As the coronavirus pandemic also referred to as COVID-19 continues to spread in some parts of the country, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has said that Nigeria is in desperate need for more Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) kits for COVID-19 testing.
Ihekweazu, who tweeted on his verified Twitter handle on Sunday said: “We are desperately looking for more RNA extraction kits as we expand #COVID19 testing. Product: Total viral RNA extraction kits (preferably spin column and with a lysis buffer). Manufacturers: Qiagen, ThermoFischer, SeeGene, Inqaba, LifeRiver etc.
“We are desperately looking for more RNA extraction kits as we expand #COVID19 testing Product: Total viral RNA extraction kits (preferably spin column and with a lysis buffer) Manufacturers: Qiagen, ThermoFischer, SeeGene, Inqaba, LifeRiver etc.”
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RNA is a critical component to identify and test for the presence of a virus. The kits are used for extractions.
It has been reported that Nigeria lagged behind other African countries in conducting covid-19 test.
However, the number of tests have increased in the past weeks.
As of Saturday, Nigeria had conducted 10,918 tests out of which 1,182 have been confirmed positive.
