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Federal Government has called on state governments to prepare for the worst over the recent spike in number of coronavirus cases in the country.
COVID-19 cases in Nigeria hit 27,110 after 626 new infections were confirmed Thursday, while total recoveries and fatalities rose to 10,801 and 616 respectively.
At the daily press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire said the rising number of cases is “a sign that COVID-19 is actually expanding faster than our systems are handling it”.
Ehanire called on states governments across the federation “to continue to prepare more bed spaces and increase sample collection sites”.
“We are urging state governments to prepare for the worst. This rising trend requires that each state of the federation to continue to prepare more bed spaces and increase sample collection sites, as well as improve logistics to deliver to designated laboratories promptly,” he said.
“It is also important to protect the vulnerable by putting in place measures which take care of their social needs and reduce their exposure to risks of infection.”
Speaking on strategies adopted by the health ministry in tackling the pandemic, Ehanire said COVID-19 positive persons, who did not show symptoms of the virus, would be admitted in hospitals, if they had conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, among others.
“The Federal Ministry of Health’s plan will be to focus more on minimising fatalities by prioritising pre-emptive admission to hospital for medical observation, for all persons who test positive for COVID-19 and meet our definition of vulnerability, even if they do not yet have classical symptoms”, he said
He added that with the lifting of the ban on interstate travels, the assumption should not be that the COVID-19 danger was over.
The minister further stated that the risks of being infected were higher during travels and advised Nigerians to avoid non-essential travels.
