COVID-19: FG Raises Alarm, Says No Testing Done In 20 States

Following the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government on Monday, August 10, said 85 local government areas (LGAs) in 20 states still remain with no testing done and no case reported.

Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) disclosed this at the daily briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 in Abuja.

According to the chairman of the COVID-19 task force, over time tests have been ramped up in Nigeria but more needs to be done in order to raise the quantum of test per million.

He said: “Our analysis has however shown that five states still account for 60 percent of cumulative cases; 689 out of 774 LGAs have reported a case; 85 LGAs in 20 States still remain with no testing done and no case reported; and 50 percent of all cases are in 20 percent LGAs.”

The SGF went on to note that that though the numbers of confirmed cases coming out daily are low, it should not be misinterpreted to mean that Nigeria has overcome as the country is yet to reach the peak of the pandemic.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian government on Thursday, August 6, announced another four weeks extension of the second phase of the eased COVID-19 lockdown.

The announcement was made during a briefing in Abuja by the chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

Mustapha said the extension of the current ease of lockdown was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari after the COVID-19 task force on Wednesday, August 5, briefed him about the progress made so far in containing the spread the disease.

He said under the revised guidelines of the eased lockdown which will be maintained in the next four weeks, the current nationwide curfew from 10 pm- 6 am still stands.

In a related development, the federal government has asked aviation authorities and airline operators in the country to begin the process for the resumption of international flights.

Aviation authorities had in March restricted international flights as part of measures to check the spread of COVID-19.

However, Sani Aliyu the national coordinator of the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Thursday, August 6, said the aviation industry could begin the process of preparing the Nigerian airspace to receive international flights.

– Legit