Lagos now has 3,093 confirmed COVID19 cases, having reported 139 new cases on Thursday.
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in its latest report said Nigeria, itself, had recorded 7,016 confirmed cases with 1,907 persons discharged and 211 deaths.
40,043 tests had been done, with 1,812 on Wednesday alone.
Earlier, the Lagos State Government said it had conducted about 16,000 COVID-19 tests at a cost of N40,000 to N50,000 per test.
Prof. Akin Abayomi, the state Commissioner for Health, made this known at the Lagos COVID-19 update on Thursday.
Abayomi said that there were plans to ramp up testing capacity to about one thousand tests on a daily basis.
He said that Lagos had conducted the highest number of COVID-19 tests in Nigeria, with four testing laboratories, and planned to increase the testing sites in the coming weeks.
According to him, as the state ramps up its testing capacity, there will be need to subside the cost of the test, either through insurance or donor funds.
“For now, the Lagos State Government is providing COVID-19 tests free of charge,” he said.
The commissioner said that the state would validate rapid test kits to enhance case detection, adding that the process had commenced and manufacturers of the tests kits identified.
According to him, the state is about to roll out Hydroxychloroquine trial.
He added that the state was also participating in a World Health Organisation (WHO)’s solidarity trial of the drug in one of its isolation centres.
“In about a month, we should start getting results from the Lagos trial.
“Then, we can decide whether Chloroquine can act as a preventive or curative purpose, and how effective it will be in reducing the severity of the disease,” the commissioner said.
Abayomi noted that Lagos was in the process of regularising home isolation and treatment for some COVID-19 patients, especially those with mild symptoms of the infection.
The commissioner said that incorporating home isolation was due to increase in the numbers of people avoiding isolation centres and practicing self-treatment at various places.
He maintained that contrary to what was obtainable in other countries; most patients that were infected with COVID-19 in Lagos were expected to make full recovery.
Lagos is the epicentre of Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases with 2, 970 confirmed cases.
Of this, 2,261 are active cases, 649 discharged, two evacuated from Nigeria, 16 transferred to Ogun and Ondo, while 42 deaths were recorded.
In another development, the Lagos State Government has announced the recovery and discharge of 13 more novel coronavirus patients.
The patients were discharged after testing negative for the virus two consecutive times.
The state Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday.
The governor confirmed that a total 662 patients had so far been discharged from isolation centres in the state.
”Today, 13 more COVID-19 Lagos patients – nine males and four females – all Nigerians, have been discharged from the Onikan, Eti-Osa (LandMark), Lekki and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) isolation facilities to reunite with the society.
”The patients, one from Onikan, four from Eti-Osa (LandMark), three from Lekki and five from LUTH isolation centres were discharged having fully recovered.
”With this, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos has risen to 662,” Sanwo-Olu said.
*with agency reports
