More than 40 health workers have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria.
This was disclosed yesterday by Health Minister Osagie Ehanire at a press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.
The minister appealed to health workers to take all necessary precautions in dealing with coronavirus patients for their own safety. He said the government would continue to provide the necessary personal protective equipment for them, but that they must remain vigilant.
“Please do not try to treat patients without using adequate PPE. Frontline workers must undertake refresher training in IPC at intervals,” he said.
Ehanire said many other health workers had had to be quarantined in the past week due to exposure and were unable to join the health sector’s efforts to fight the coronavirus disease as a result.
“I urge you all to remain vigilant in the line of duty and maintain a high index of suspicion,” he appealed
The minister further disclosed that the government had tested 9,522 samples since Nigeria’s index case was detected in February.
According to him, the country is currently testing an average of 600 samples a day in all 13 labs, but operational efficiency will be improved upon to step up testing.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
