LAGOS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian government on Saturday said it has deployed COVID-19 starter packs to all tertiary health institutions and federal medical centers as the country experiences increase in cases.
Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire, who disclosed this in a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, said the starter packs consist of medical consumables to ensure the protection of frontline workers.
He applauded the frontline health workers in fighting COVID-19 and urged them to protect themselves as prescribed while treating COVID-19 patients.
He appealed to citizens to adhere to advisory on hand and respiratory hygiene as well as the social distancing directives, and advised that they use their masks or face covering when leaving their residence and avoid mass gathering.
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded about 1,095 cases as of late Friday.
The center, which disclosed this in its daily update, said the country's COVID-19 cases exceeded 1,000 because of the 114 new cases recorded in nine states of the country.
The high number of cases the country is experiencing was as a result of ongoing community transmission and active case search, the minister said.
Presently, Ehanire said there are 13 laboratories that have the capacity to test 1,500 samples per day across the country.
"We need to improve surveillance, sample collection strategies and transport logistics to laboratories and also reduce the turnaround time for tests," the minister said. Enditem
