The director general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, says government is tracing about 12,000 contacts of COVID-19 across the country since the beginning of the outbreak.
Ihekweazu who made this known on Friday, also said the centre tested 2,000 samples yesterday, 30th April, which is “the highest number of sample we have tested in a single day across the country and this numbers have been increasing everyday.”
“So, despite challenges, samples are coming into our national laboratory network,” he said.
In terms of bed spaces, the DG stated that there are about 3,500 beds available right now, but said every state is being pushed to make more beds available.
Ihekweazu informed that only FCT have fully fulfilled the bed capacity needed to respond to the outbreak.
He however urged every private sector partner to support states increase their bed space capacity.
The DG urged Nigerians to stop the stigmatization against persons infected with the vurus.
“Until we have a vaccine, we must learn to live with Covid-19, we have to encourage each other. There is no point of stigmatization because we are all vulnerable to contracting the disease,” he said.
The DG earlier acknowledged and appreciated health personnel and other workers responding to the COVID-19 on the occasion of 2020 workers day.
He urged them to persevere until the end of the pandemic in the country.
“Today I celebrate all workers working hard to keep us safe. You are the pride of our nation, we need you to keep pushing, don’t give up and let’s keep at this untill we get to the end of this outbreak,” he said.
He also expressed appreciation to every donations and support to the COVID-19 fight form private sector, religious bodies, the military, government agencies amongst others.
The DG said the centre will keep track and account for every single donation made.
Godsgift Onyedinefu
