The Bayelsa State Taskforce on COVID-19 on Monday said that the 140 blood samples sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) approved laboratory in Edo, have all tested negative.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Co-Chairman of the state’s Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Inodu Apoku, who disclosed made the disclosure at a news conference in Yenagoa, said that the samples were taken between March and April.
He explained that surveillance was ongoing in the eight local government areas of the state.
Apoku, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Health, announced that the state government was working to set up a COVID-19 reference laboratory in the state.
The Chairman noted that over 200 persons who have been screened at the point of entry into the state had not shown any significant symptoms or concerns regarding Coronavirus.
He said the task force had also formed the local government taskforce in all the eight local governments of the state to handle the community mobilization and enlightenment campaigns in rural and riverine communities.
“Currently, the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital has a ready to use 6-bed isolation facility, however, they have earmarked some additional wards that can be converted to isolation facility if the need arises.
”These additional facilities can accommodate another 100-bed isolation capabilities.
“The Federal Medical Centre has also established a 22-bed isolation facility in Yenagoa, while the state government has identified a facility within Bayelsa Medical University to be used as isolation facility, and can accommodate a 100-bed.
“We have trained Patent Medicine Vendors and Community Pharmacists on case finding and surveillance, as well as volunteers in all villages for the active search for persons with symptoms of Coronavirus,” he said.
