<p class="">The Federal Government, on Thursday, warned against unauthorised treatment of the coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.</p>
<h1>Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, gave the warning at the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) briefing on the pandemic in Abuja.</h1>
<p class=""><em>“All healthcare professionals and associated personnel should diligently follow safety, prevention and control protocols, both inside and outside healthcare facilities.</em></p>
<p class=""><em>“They are also not to indulge in unauthorised treatment of COVID-19 cases,’</em>’ Ehanire said.</p>
<p class="">The minister explained that the appeal was necessary to reduce the incidences of health workers getting infected with the disease.</p>
<p class="">He said that the ministry was committed to increasing its capacity for testing for COVID-19 cases.</p>
<p class=""><em>“Twenty-one laboratories nationwide are now operational for COVID-19 testing as we work to drive up demands,’’</em> he explained.</p>
<p class="">Meanwhile, the minister said that a team from the ministry had been deployed to Kano State to enhance the training and capacity building of the health personnel.</p>
<p class="">Ehanire said that the team would also help rebuild the manpower of the federal health facilities in the state.</p>
<p class="">According to him, medical laboratories in Kano state have been directed to work in shifts to reduce the turnaround time for testing and enable the faster return of results.</p>
<p class="">The minister directed that all Nigerians returning from abroad should undergo mandatory supervised quarantine in selected hotels for 14 days, before they would be allowed to go home.</p>
<p class="">He explained that they would also be tested and positive cases would be sent to isolation centres.</p>
<p class="">Also speaking,<strong> Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu,</strong> Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that 95 per cent of Nigerians, who tested positive to the virus, did not bother about their physical results.</p>
<p class="">Iheakweazu said that to make the system work quicker, the agency agreed to give a verbal result to people, who tested negative.</p>
<p class="">He added that the security of personnel at isolation centres across the country were the responsibility of the Police, in partnership with state governments.</p>
<p class=""><em>“People in isolation centres have not committed a crime; they are not prisoners,’’</em> he said.</p>
<p class="">The DG advised that to get over the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerians must be physically and mentally fit.</p>
<p class="">He said the NCDC had published new guidelines for businesses and employers, which he said, could be found on its website.</p>
<p class=""><em>“Businesses must discourage sharing of work tools.</em></p>
<p class=""><em>“Staggering work hours is better than closing down businesses,’’</em> he said.</p>
<p class="">He, however, said that the government was targeting health benefits by allowing certain aspects of the economy to restart. </p>
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