Highlights Of Response By HMH At The PTF On COVID-19 Briefing Held Wednesday, 6th May 2020

Highlights of response by the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire to questions raised by Media Representatives at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Wednesday, 6th May, 2020.

On the situation at Kano:
The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire stated that investigations are still on-going on the “unexplained” deaths of persons in Kano.  He said: “The findings are yet to be concluded, so we can’t make it public.” He similarly explained that the increase in fatalities of cases of COVID-19 patients nationwide is proportionate to the increase in new cases while he also pointed out that fatalities are overwhelmingly evidenced in patients with previous underlying health conditions such as kidney disease, cancer, Tuberculosis (TB), the very elderly and people with low immune system.

On low percentage rate of COVID-19 testing:
The Minister said that strategies applied in Nigeria for testing is different from that in other places.  “Nigeria progressed from an initial pattern of selective testing to the now expanded testing; when we got to the phase of community transmission”, he said.

Further observation made by the Honourable Minister:
Dr. Ehanire disclosed that no case of relapse of treated and discharged patients has been recorded in Nigeria.