Only Lagos, Kano, Ogun, FCT still conducting COVID-19 tests – PTF

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The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chike Ihekweazu, has said that the COVID-19 transmission would rise with the reopening of schools and airports.

He, therefore, warned against complacency and the belief that infection rates were declining.

Speaking on Monday during a media briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, the DG said only Lagos, Federal Capital Territory, Ogun and Kano states had been consistently carrying out a high volume of testing.

Specifically, Ihekweazu said testing rates had declined drastically in Taraba, Adamawa, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa and Yobe states.

The DG observed that Nigerians were not responding to the plea to come out for testing, adding that the testing needed to be sustained in order to combat the pandemic.

He added, “I am very confident about what is going on in Lagos, FCT, Ogun and probably Kano and a few other states. Having said that, it doesn’t mean they should let down their guards completely.

“In fact, with schools and airports opening, we have to increase the level of our testing because inevitably, there would be more transmission. So, how are you able to mitigate the impact of that moving forward, given that we have learnt so much about this virus in the last few months.”

Also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, called for more vigilance to forestall possible resurgence of the COVID-19 as schools resumed in some states across the country.

He warned that the appreciable progress recorded might be eroded, especially due to the opening of the airspaces to international travels, relaxation of a number of restrictions and opening up of more sectors of the economy.