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Nigeria adds 2 molecular laboratories to test for COVID-19 – NCDC

April 25, 2020

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Nigeria has added two new molecular laboratory network to test for Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), on Saturday in Abuja.

He said the two laboratories are the Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State.

Ihekweazu said this brings the total number of laboratories where COVID-19 can be tested in the country to 15.

“Nigeria now has the capacity to do a minimum of 3000 tests daily. However, a critical challenge remains sample collection and transportation to the relevant laboratories”.

“The NCDC is working closely with state governors to strengthen the capacity for sample collection and transportation”.

“In Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, officials have begun active case search in communities by visiting areas and collecting samples from people who present with fever and other respiratory symptoms,” he told NAN.

He further added that NCDC has provided states with additional sample collection kits to ensure that no gap is left in the agency’s goal to ensure a minimum of 3,000 samples are tested daily.

He disclosed that one more laboratory will be activated in Port-Harcourt.

“The NCDC laboratory strategy outlines the plan to expand the laboratories to include HIV and Tuberculosis laboratories in the country,” he said.

As at Friday, the NCDC said there are 1,095 cases in Nigeria.

The centre said 32 people have died, 855 people are still sick and 208 people have recovered from the coronavirus in Nigeria. (NAN)