COVID-19: Lagos conducts nearly 264, 000 tests — Commissioner

The Lagos State government has conducted 263, 358 valid COVID-19 sample tests since the inception of the pandemic, the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said on Wednesday.

Mr Abayomi, a professor, made the disclosure through his verified Twitter account @ProfAkinAbayomi, while giving the state’s COVID-19 update for January 17.

The commissioner said that 285, 948 total samples were tested, out of which 263, 358 were valid.

He said that the remaining 22,590 were repeat-tested samples.

According to him, 41,374 of the tested samples were diagnosed positive for COVID-19.

“There were 21 accredited private and four public laboratories in the state, of which 143, 634 samples were processed in public laboratories and 142, 314 samples processed in private laboratories.

“The volume of samples tested by private laboratories has increased to 50 per cent, almost equalling the volume tested by public laboratories.

“Seven hundred and seventy-six new COVID-19 infections were confirmed in the state on the reported date, increasing the state’s total COVID-19 infections to 41,374,” he said.

According to him, 3,209 COVID-19 patients who have been successfully treated and recovered were discharged from the state’s care centres.

“Total number of #COVID19 recovery in communities are 28, 452.

“Cases currently under isolation- 223 active cases under home based care are 9,213,” Abayomi said.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state recorded another two COVID-19 related fatalities, increasing the COVID-19 deaths in the state to 277.

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He said that bed occupancy at the state’s public and private COVID-19 care centres had risen to 70 per cent.

Mr Abayomi said that two isolation centres; Gbagada and Armour ll, would soon be activated to create more bed spaces for patients.

(NAN)