Gombe molecular lab begins testing for COVID-19

The Gombe State Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory has commenced testing for COVID-19.

The lab which is located at the public health laboratory complex, Specialist Hospital, Gombe, has the capacity of testing 50 samples per day in the first instance.

The health commissioner, Ahmed Gana said “as time goes on, the facility will increase its testing capacity to 120 per day”.

He said so far about 16 positive cases were recorded from the lab.

“We are confident that with what we have on ground, we can run 150 samples per day. We are proposing running 2 shifts per day,” he said.

“COVID-19 is real and we are yet to reach the peak of the pandemic .The only way to combat this infection is through prevention before we have a vaccine.

“We must measure the burden of COVID-19 in the state and we can do that by testing. The public is really cooperating now, the drive will be sustained,” he added.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how Governor Inuwa Yahaya announced the decision of his government to establish a testing laboratory in the state.

This he said was in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Nigeria has over 40 laboratories used for COVID-19 testing.