Zamfara, Kogi, Yobe… states with less than 10,000 COVID-19 tests after one year

At least six states have not carried out up to 10,000 tests for COVID-19 one year after the pandemic started.

According to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria tested 1.58 million samples for coronavirus as of February 28, 2021.

This means a daily average of 4,300 tests since February 27, 2020, when the country confirmed its index case.

Testing has been grossly inadequate in many states, according to the NCDC latest COVID-19 situation report released on Friday.

The least number of tests came from Kogi which is known to deny residents testing for the virus; the state has only carried out 3,379 COVID-19 tests.

Other worst performing states include Kebbi with 9,095 tests; Yobe, 8,203; Jigawa, 7,150; Zamfara, 6,107 and Cross River with 5,633 tests;

Of all the 36 states and federal capital territory (FCT), only eight have tested more than 50,000 samples for the virus.

They include Lagos with 388,474 tests; FCT,  217,531; Rivers, 140,565; Kano, 83,161; Kaduna, 66,547; Ogun, 62,657; Plateau, 62,317; Oyo, 51,754.

So far, at least 158,000 have been diagnosed of COVID-19 in Nigeria, with only 19,000 still active while 1,954 have died.