The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has announced that the state accounts for 42 percent of the confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country, but noted that it only accounts for 23.6 percent of the recorded deaths due to the virus.at a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Abayom who stated this while giving the latest situation report on COVID-19 in the state.
He also said that SEVEN private laboratories have now been licensed by the Lagos State government to enhance COVID-19 sample testing in the state.
He noted that the private laboratories were selected through a rigorous accreditation process.according to Health Commissioner, Akin Abayomi.
On the list are: Total Medical Services; SynLab; 54Gene; Medbury Medical Services; Biologix Medical Services; 02 Medical Services and Clina Lancent Laboratories.
He said that it was imperative that COVID-19 tests be widely available to members of the public as the state continuously opened up various aspects of its economy.
The state, he added, took the strategic decision to include private laboratories in its testing of COVID-19 in a bid to ramp up its capacity.
He, however, said that the state’s COVID-19 response would remain a centrally managed emergency response by the government.
“We expect the selected laboratories to commence testing COVID-19 cases within the next few days,” the commissioner said.
According to him, of the 15,000 tested thus far 9,497 cases have been confirmed COVID-19 positive in Lagos, while 1,470 have been treated and discharged at the state’s isolation centres.
He said that 128 patients or 1.3 per cent of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 in Lagos, had died of the virus.
Abayomi said that between three to five per cent of Lagos residents infected with COVID-19 had an extremely severe to critical form of the virus. He also averred that home-based care would soon commence in the state.
Speaking at the event attended by the Permanent Secretary, Health Service Commission, Dr Eniayewun and the Permanent Secretary, PHCB, Dr Olugbemiga Aina, the commissioner said the low death rate “suggests competence in the management of confirmed cases” by the state government.
