The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has on Thursday confirmed that all 31 suspected cases of Coronavirus in Nigeria were tested negative.
The Director, Emergency Preparedness and Response, NCDC, Dr John Oladejo stated;
“This means Nigeria is free of Coronavirus,”
He divulged this information in Sokoto at a symposium on “The emerging and re-emerging Viral Infections: The story of Lassa fever and COVID-19,” which was organised by the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
While assuring that the NCDC has the necessary devices to detect the disease, he added that screening procedures have been improved at points of entry while in-country surveillance has been enhanced through state epidemiologists. He stated:
“We now have testing capacity in three laboratories: National Reference Laboratory, Abuja; LUTH in Lagos; and Irrua in Edo state.”
He also stated that as at 23rd of February, 29 countries were affected including China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, USA, Republic of Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, and Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.