Nine out of ten COVID-19 patients will recover, says Health Minister

By our reporter| Nigeria’s minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, on Monday said nine of out 10 COVID-19 patients will recover from the disease.

Ehanire who stated this at a briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 in Abuja, said people are afraid given the high number of confirmed cases but forget that most of the infected persons are expected to recover.

The minister also advised Nigerians not see an ambulance as a sign of COVID-19 as it can be used for a number of other things.

He said, “I would like to appeal to everybody not to see an ambulance as a sign of COVID-19 if that’s not what it is. An ambulance can do a large number of things, so the sign of an ambulance does not immediately translate to COVID-19. That is over the top of apprehension.

“It can happen but in this case, I don’t believe so. There is no reason for apprehension because over 90% of those who have COVID-19 will recover.

“Nine out 10 will recover, so what is the fear about. Only that the numbers are so large that we forget that people recover and the few get very sick, that is just about four or five out of 100.”

He also revealed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will double testing capacity from 1,500 to 3,000 persons daily even as a new national action plan is being developed to intensify efforts in tackling the disease.

“Thirteen molecular diagnostic laboratory nationwide have been activated so far by the NCDC and the target this week is to double the national testing capacity which stands at 1,500 a day.”

“A strict guide for the use and maintenance of cloth masks is in development and will be publicised. It is sufficing to say that your masks must be washed everyday and if possible, ironed.”