Coronavirus test results of 15 Chinese doctors in Nigeria have been released.
The 15-member medical team from China who recently completed their compulsory 14-day quarantine have all tested negative for coronavirus (COVID-19).
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The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Tuesday.
According to the minister: “As for the Chinese persons who came in, the test has been done after they were quarantined for 14 days. All of them were negative. After that, the Federal Ministry of Health is done with that particular case.”
Recall that the Chinese medics came two weeks ago to help provide technical support to Nigeria in its fight against COVID-19, and share experiential strategies of how their country curtailed the spread of the virus.
The Health Minister further explained that a committee of experts will be sworn in later headed by Professor Tomori, a very well-known virologist and the other members that will be revealed at the swearing-in.
“The committee will advise on the national strategy and action plan, using lessons learned as we go along, and those learned from strategies in places across the globe. This will help us to identify and adopt the promising strategies and align our plans with best practices and advisories,” he said.
On the 40 health workers in quarantine for testing positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19), Ehanire did not give any updates but urged frontline health workers to always use their personal protective equipment (PPE) when carrying out their duties.
The Minister of Health said: “We have always warned that health workers must use their personal protective equipment.
“Secondly if you are not trained in infection prevention and control, COVID-19 is not for you as a health worker.
“It is very risky to underrate the infectiousness of this virus because it is not like any other sickness or viral infection that you know.
“That is why we have said only accredited isolation and treatment centres should be handling this infection,” the Health Minister concluded.