NCDC to follow up over 6, 000 contacts to curb spread of virus
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) working to identify 6,000 people who have had close contacts with persons infected to curb the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
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Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, disclosed this on Monday on Channels Television programme “Sunrise Daily” while, speaking on COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Ihekweazu said:”In the short-term, the numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19 are expected to keep rising, but NCDC also expect to be able to get on top of this.
“We expect cases of COVID19 to rise as we improve capacity to detect and test. Our laboratories are activated to function 24/7. We appeal to Nigerians to work with us in compliance with the measures instituted by President.”
He said that there was need to prevent further transmission of the virus, while noting that the President’s speech was a call for Nigerians to come together.
The NCDC chief executive added that the measures that have been implemented would work in curbing the spread of the virus, but however, appealed to Nigerians to bear the few weeks of pain that would come.
The NCDC boss said that Nigeria have been lucky to not have had too many severe cases of COVID-19, disclosing that NCDC have currently tested well over 2,000 people and have also increased the number of laboratories in its network.
“Everyday NCDC are improving the turnaround time. We are being bogged down by people who do not require the test. So, we have to manage demand. We have to focus on those who need it the most.
“The duration between testing and results depends on several factors. But it is between 24 to 48 hours. Our target is to get results out in 12 hours,” he said.
The NCDC boss said that the success of the measures put in place to contain COVID-19 would depend largely on the willingness of Nigerians to work with the NCDC team.
“Our team is working round the clock to improve turn-around time for testing in all our six molecular laboratories. We aim to scale up to 13 labs in next three weeks. In progress- Abakaliki, Maiduguri, Kano, Sokoto, Port-Harcourt, Jos and Kaduna States,” he said.
The NCDC chief executive said that the laboratories would also provide diagnostic support for a number of states in the country and acknowledged not knowing if people who recover test positive again.
Ihekweazu stated that there were a lot NCDC do not know yet about the disease, but however, added that the NCDC ability to flatten the curve of COVID19 will depend on all Nigerians.
