Nigeria can now undertake 15,000 COVID-19 tests daily – PTF

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 said on Thursday Nigeria could now undertake 15,000 COVID-19 tests daily.

The Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, who stated this at the task force daily briefing in Abuja, urged Nigerians to check their status frequently.

He said: “So far, our National Response has shown that Nigeria is following the science through effective case management, but need to improve our testing.

“Our testing infrastructure has been increased to undertake up to 15,000 tests per day, but we are currently testing between 3,000 to 6,000 daily due mainly to people still not subjecting themselves for testing.

“I, therefore, want to seize this opportunity to Nigerians to get tested.

“The PTF continues to analyze and rely on data to forestall any sign of upsurge and adapting the best global practices to sustain successes.

“That Nigeria, along with South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Algeria contributed to the recorded lowest weekly COVID-19 confirmed cases is a testament of our successes.

“The challenge, therefore, remains for us to improve on the path of driving the pandemic out of Nigeria so that we can go back to our normal lives.”

He disclosed that 20 Local government areas in the country are now hotspots for COVID-19 and urged youths in the country to join in the fight against the virus.

Mustapha added that in the last two days, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had issued warnings on vaccine nationalism and that young people are aiding the spread of the virus.

“The latter is more germane for us as Nigerians with our over 80 percent youthful population and should give us more cause to be on our guard.

“It will border on extreme selfishness for our youths to believe that since they are asymptomatic carriers, they can carry on with life as they please. More so, that being asymptomatic does not guarantee immunity forever.

“The PTF is, however, encouraged by the fact that the majority of our youths are in the vanguard of this fight and still call on the few non-conforming ones to join.

“This call becomes more imperative when we realize that from an initial 10 hotspot Local government areas in the country, we moved to 16 and now have 20 of such, indicating spread to other areas,” the PTF chairman added.