By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Arab Emirates, UAE has evacuated not less than 4,984 Nigerians with an additional 252 who arrived the country over the weekend.
The PTF Chairman Boss Mustapha who made the announcement today during the press briefing in Abuja, promised that efforts are being intensified, adding ” we shall intensify the validation process for the PCR tests 3 minimize risks.’
He said, ” Unfortunately, the validation process for the pre- boarding PCR tests have shown that 64 percent of recent spike in the number of confirmed cases came from the evacuees.”
Mustapha also disclosed that Nigeria has the 4th highest cumulative cases in Africa with 52,227 cases , 1,002 deaths and 38,945 recoveries, as global cases increases by 1 million from 22.5 million to 23.5 million in 4 days.
He further announced the inclusion in the COVID-19 guidelines by WHO for the use of masks for children 11 years and above, particularly as children with immune compromised conditions are advised to wear masks irrespective of age.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said that the COVID-19 experience has shown that there is need to continue to review and strive for improvement in the treatment of the virus symptomatic cases, other adults and those those with existing medical conditions as a way of reducing the fatality rate in the country.
