By Hassan Zaggi
The Federal Government has expressed optimism that even if Covid-19 filters to the rural areas, there are structures in place to contain it.
“We are prepared for that eventuality,” he stressed.
He stated this while giving update on the Covid-19 situation in Abuja, Monday.
Ehanire, therefore, advised Nigerians to remain calm, join forces and be proactive in taking greater individual and collective responsibility in preventing and controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
The Federal Ministry of Health, according to him, is working closely with states and the Presidential Task Force on the Control of COVID-19, to review response activities and to institute measures to protect the health of Nigerians.
“This is a disease that came from outside the country, we are hoping that it did not get to the grassroot that is why we are doing a lot of contact tracing.
“We are going after those who travel from outside the country and finding out if they come with this disease or not, we put them in self isolation, those who are from high burden countries are on supervised isolation and if after the expected incubation period, nobody tested positive, they are free.
“And if they test positive in that period they are taken into isolation proper and given the treatment until they are well.
“We hope by that it does not filter to the grassroot and if does, we have Primary Health Care system and the disease notification that goes along with it.
“We are prepared for that eventuality.
“We have also been working with various other ministries under the presidential task force on control of corona virus to see what effect it can have in other areas and how to cope with those effect.”
As at March 23, 2020, Nigeria has recorded 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of these 36 confirmed cases, 25 are in Lagos, 6 in FCT, 2 in Ogun, 1 in Edo, 1 in Ekiti and 1 in Oyo.
Out of the 36 cases, 26 had travel history to affected countries in the last 2 weeks, 6 are contacts of confirmed cases and 4 have no recent travel history or known contact.
Nigeria has so far recorded only one death from COVID-19 in the country.
