The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research is getting ready to flag off free testing for Coronavirus.
“If you are interested, please Watch out!!! To this end, we need support from individuals and organizations who may be interested in this goal,” says Babatunde Salako, director-general of the Institute on his Twitter handle @lawalSalako on Wednesday, 25 March.
In his other twists, Salako said that the institute was also planning to look at the efficacy of chloroquine, the barriers to case detection and KAP in the community.
According him, NIRM is involved in testing and diagnosis to support Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on case detection and surveillance.
“We helped in sequencing the index case confirming COVID-19 in the patient and we are currently designing a local kit for diagnosis through research,” he tweeted.
He further Twitted that the world is factually at standstill as nations continue to announce lockdown.
“Indeed, this is a trying period for all nations of the World . As we try to combat this pandemic, we also need spiritual guidance and prayers to effectively put the pandemic behind us,” he urged.
Since that day, the number of confirmed cases in Nigeria has risen quite significantly. By the end of Thursday, March 26, the number had jumped to 65, with the addition of 14 new cases that evening.
With that, Lagos clearly established itself as the epicentre of the crisis, accounting for 44 of the 65 cases.
The other states’ shares were as follows:Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 11cases, Ogun has three cases, Bauchi two cases, while Ekiti, Oyo, Edo, Osun and Rivers all have one case.
Three persons have been discharged and only one death has been recorded, said NCDC.
Anthonia Obokoh
