NCDC DG: Kogi, Cross River not conducting enough COVID-19 tests

Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), says some states are not conducting enough COVID-19 tests.

Speaking during the presidential task force briefing on COVID-19, on Thursday, Ihekweazu listed Cross River, Jigawa, Kogi, Osun, Ebonyi, Adamawa and Zamfara as states that are not conducting enough tests.

The NCDC DG appealed to Nigerians to adhere to COVID-19 protocol and advised against mass gatherings.

“It is important to test, to manage the outbreak and plan for vaccination,” he said.

“The numbers are not looking good and we need to take this very seriously as we plan for the end of the year.”

Also speaking, Boss Mustapha, PTF chairman, said Lagos, FCT, Rivers and Ogun states account for 64 percent of all the COVID-19 tests conducted in the country.

So far, Nigeria has conducted about 829,743 tests since the disease broke out in the country in February.

Giving a breakdown of the COVID-19 tests, the PTF chairman said seven states conducted more than 1,000 tests in the past week while testing increased in 17 states.

He said testing declined in 12 states: Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Yobe, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue and Anambra.

Checks by TheCable showed that as of December 6, Kogi still has the lowest number of tests conducted — 366–  since the disease broke out in Nigeria.

The data from the NCDC showed that Cross River has conducted 1,905 tests with; Jigawa, 3,056 tests; Adamawa, 3,661 tests; Osun, 6,103; Ebonyi 6,387 and 1,152 tests in Zamfara.

Also, data from the NCDC revealed that as of December 10, Kogi has so far confirmed five cases and two deaths; Cross River has 90 cases and nine deaths; Jigawa, 340 and 11 deaths; Osun, 962 cases and nine deaths; Ebonyi, 1055 cases and 30 deaths; Adamawa- 287 cases and 19 deaths, and Zamfara: 79 cases and five deaths.

There has been a surge in COVID-19 cases with the number of confirmed cases shooting up on Thursday.

The country recorded 675 new infections — first time in five months.

Owing to the spike in confirmed cases, the federal government asked COVID-19 treatment centres across the country to prepare for reopening.

Nigerians have also been advised to suspend travelling during Christmas season so as to curb the spread of the disease.

A total of 71,344 cases have now been confirmed across the country with 1,190 casualties.