The Nasarawa State Government has established six additional sample collection centers following the confirmation of index case in the state.
The centres are among the designated hospitals collecting samples associated with COVID-19.
Gov Abdullahi Sule disclosed this after inspecting isolation centres in Lafia on Wednesday.
The governor said that the decision to set up additional testing centres became necessary after the state registered its first coronavirus patient.
The centres are in Karu, Nasarawa, Keffi, Akwanga, Lafia and Doma.
Sule said that the index case was receiving treatment at an isolation centre within the Dalhatu Araf Specialists Hospital (DASH).
He said that 11 other contacts directly linked to the index case were also in isolation.
“I am satisfied with the recent decision taken by the Federal Government banning inter state travel, which is assisting Nasarawa State in controlling and containing further spread of the pandemic,” Sule said.
The governor expressed hope that once people were prevented from traveling from one state to another, there was a likelihood that further spread of the pandemic would be curtailed.
“For us in Nigeria and specifically for us in Nasarawa, it is not our disease, so unless somebody actually brings it. And that is why we are trying to protect the state, by taking preventive measures so that people don’t bring it here,” he said.
Sule had earlier inspected the completed, fully equipped 100-bed capacity, as well as single-rooms for VIPs isolation centres at the DASH.
The governor also inspected the 200-bed Shabu isolation centre and the quarantine centre at the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, where 50 returnees from high risk states of Lagos, Kano and Ogun, have been quarantined.
The isolation centre at the DASH, have one locally manufactured ventilator, among several others purchased by the state government.
The governor expressed satisfaction on the 200-bed Shabu isolation centre, with provision of the standard of centre.
He said the centre was an abandoned building but now transformed into a standard isolation centre.
“First and foremost, we want to thank the Federal Government committee on flood that constructed this wonderful building for us.
“We thank the administration of Tanko Al-makura for identifying such a place like this, upon the completion of the road, you can see that we have a well fitted, standard isolation centre that can take 200 in all,” Sule said.
At the quarantine centre at the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, the governor interacted with some of the returnees observing the mandatory 14-days isolation.
He appealed to them to cooperate with government and not to see the exercise as punishment, but as precautionary measures to not only protect them against the pandemic but the larger society.
The governor disclosed that result of 12 of the 50 returnees would soon be discharged.
“Once they are in the clear, they will be allowed to join their families,” Sule said.
