The Federal Government said it had concluded arrangements to convert tuberculosis’ diagnostic machines in the country to coronavirus’ detection machines.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this at a press briefing held by the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus,to update the country on of the state of coronavirus outbreak in the country, said the 300 Gene Xpert machines used for tuberculosis woud be converted to testing COVID-19 detection.
Government’s action came following the increasing number of persons infected with the virus, current put at 135.
The minister said the Gene Xpert machines were expected to be put to use within the next two to three weeks.” Noting that the high number of cases recorded in Lagos and Abuja was due to their functions as gateway for international air travel.
“We will be dealing largely with those which have already been brought into the country and are being transmitted from person to person. The presidential task force later today will review activities and update measures to protect the health and well-being of Nigerians.
“Additional strategies are being developed to intensify contact tracing to support prompt case detection, isolation, and treatment in order to reduce the spread of this infection.,” he said.