COVID-19: Prepare for the worse, Nigeria tells citizens

COVID-19 cases more than 6,000 in Nigeria

With the total number of COVID-19 infection exceeding 6,000 as of May 18, 2019, Nigeria has advised its citizens to prepare for the worse.

Although it maintained that it was doing everything within its power to curtail the spread of the virus, the government said Nigerians must prepare for the worst while learning as much as they can about the pandemic.

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who stated this on Tuesday during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, also urged health workers and Nigerians to do their best to learn more about the pandemic.

Enihare said: “It is of great importance that we – members of the health sector and citizens, endeavour to use this period to dedicate efforts to strive for the best, but also prepare for the worst.

“As we learn more about coronavirus every day, we must be ready to adjust our strategy, based on knowledge and evidence.

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“To continue strengthening response in States, the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) are assessing isolation centers all over the country, recently in Yenagoa and Oshogbo.

“We also continue providing diagnostic commodities and facilities in collaboration with partners.

Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said: “We are not doing community testing everywhere. In certain states like Lagos, Kano, and even in the FCT, we are taking the test a lot closer to the community because of the intensity of transmission in those states.

“In those states, the states are identifying hotspot areas and based on these identifications, intensifying testing in those communities.

“We haven’t gotten to the stage of drawing community testing across the country. We are doing targeted hotspot areas identified by states.”