Coronavirus: Nigeria not prepared for COVID-19 - Senate warns

Coronavirus: Nigeria not prepared for COVID-19 - Senate warns

- The Senate has raised an alarm that Nigeria is not properly prepared to contain the possible spread of coronavirus

- The lawmakers called on the federal government to put necessary measures in place at airports, seaports and other strategic locations

- However, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said the federal government was prepared to contain the virus

The Nigerian Senate has warned that the country is not adequately prepared to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The Guardian reports that the lawmakers rejected the preventive measures put in place by the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies were not enough.

The Senate, therefore, charged the committee on health to put pressure on the health ministry and other related agencies to ensure that the right thing is done.

The president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said necessary measures must be put in place at airports, seaports and other strategic locations.

Coronavirus: Nigeria not prepared for COVID-19 - Senate warns
The Senate has warned that Nigeria is not well prepared for coronavirus
Source: UGC

Lawan recalled how he and other passengers were not allowed to leave their aircraft in South Africa until they were screened.

He, however, said no one was subjected to screening upon return to Nigeria from South Africa.

Nevertheless, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said the federal government was prepared to contain the virus.

The director general of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said Nigeria was one of the first countries to recognise the risk and started planning the response for COVID-19.

He added that the and the federal government had provided funds to deal with the outbreak.

The NCDC boss said there are currently four laboratories in the country well equiped to test for the virus in addition to the NCDC National Reference Laboratory in Abuja.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update

Meanwhile, the federal ministry of health has confirmed the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) case in Nigeria.

The case, which was confirmed on Thursday, February 27 is the first to be reported in the country since the beginning of the outbreak the viral disease in China in January.

The case is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday, February 25.

Also, emerging reports have indicated that the Italian who was tested positive to the disease in Lagos had also visited Ogun state during the week.

The Italian who was confirmed positive to the virus on Thursday, February 27, had also visited Ewekoro in Ewekoro local government area in Ogun state this week.

The state's commissioner of health, Tomi Coker, on Friday, February 28, however, assured the residents and visitors in the state not to panic.

Legit.ng gathers that the infected Italian visited an undisclosed manufacturing company in Ewekoro community.

The commissioner added that the facility visited by the Italian has also been quarantined in accordance with the health safety standard.

The commissioner said the state has epidemiologists and infectious disease consultant handling the situation with support from the Lagos state government and the federal government.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better

Coronavirus: NOA DG reveals steps taken to prevent deadly epidemic | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng

Online view pixel