Anambra Activates Covid-19 Test Lab, Urges Calm As Cases Spike

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Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has advised citizens not to panic on the expected spike in COVID-19 cases following the activation of its test laboratory at the state’s university teaching hospital.

He gave the advice in his broadcast to the state where he noted that no fewer than 12 deaths were recorded in the state in relation to COVID-19.

Hard copies of the state broadcast were made available to newsmen on Tuesday.

He said a total of 590 tests were conducted from 618 samples so far collected from the state while 498 returned negative and 101 positive.

He said 28 samples were still being awaited.

“As you are well aware, the COVID-19 pandemic is no more a distant threat, some of us have lost close relatives and friends to complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A good many people have been infected with the virus nationwide and our dear state is not insulated from this deadly virus.

“We have collected a total of 618 samples and conducted 590 tests, out of this figure, 101 were confirmed COVID-19 positive while 489 tested negative.

“We have 28 samples awaiting results from our laboratory. So far, we have recorded 12 deaths,” he said.

Obiano announced that the test laboratory at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, had started functioning with five machines having individual installed capacity to run 470 tests in 24 hours.

He remarked that the new testing infrastructure would result to increase in Anambra COVID-19 figures in coming days.

According to him, in the coming weeks, our COVID-19 figures will experience a sharp rise as we ramp up more tests in our new molecular laboratory.

“When you see a sudden surge in the number of cases from our dear state, please do not panic because it is a major part of our fight back against the pandemic, please do not be afraid.”

He urged people of the state to go for test while observing safety protocol strictly as the nation moved toward easing of the lockdown.

However, official statistics from the Nigerian Centre to Disease Control showed that as at July 13, only nine deaths were recorded in the state with 101 confirmed cases.

The NCDC update says there are 27 cases in admission in Anambra while 65 cases have recovered and  are discharged.

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