NCDC increases COVID-19 testing capacity to 2,500 daily 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control in Nigeria, NCDC, says it has scaled up its testing capacity for COVID-19 to 2,500 daily.

Director General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu spoke during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 yesterday in Abuja.

Ihekweazu also disclosed that NCDC was in the process of scaling up COVID-19 test across the country.

He said: “The daily laboratory testing capacity has now increased to 2,500 in 15 laboratories. If you suspect COVID-19, call the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) toll-free number for a test.

“We are in the process of scaling up testing across the country and the key component that has changed in this, at least in Lagos, Abuja and Kano, instead of waiting for people to call us, we are now going to where the patients are.

“We have set up specific testing locations, Of course in collaboration and under the leadership of the states in these three states to increase the throughput of samples being collected from cases that actually do meet the case definition.”

This is coming at a time NCDC confirmed 204 fresh cases of Coronavirus in the country.

Nigeria’s confirmed cases now stand at 1932.