Chinese medics test negative for COVID-19

The 15-member medical team from China who recently completed their compulsory 14-day quarantine have all tested negative for coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Chinese medics will be providing technical support to Nigeria in its fight against COVID-19, and share experiential strategies of how their country curtailed the spread of the virus.
Speaking during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said: “As for the Chinese persons who came in, the test has been done after they were quarantined for 14 days. All of them were negative. After that, the Federal Ministry of Health is done with that particular case.”
He explained that a committee of experts, headed by Professor Tomori, a very well-known virologist, would be sworn in later.
“The committee will advise on the national strategy and action plan, using lessons learned as we go along, and those learned from strategies in places across the globe. This will help us to identify and adopt the promising strategies and align our plans with best practices and advisories,” he said.
On the 40 health workers in quarantine for testing positive for COVID-19, the Minister did not give any updates but urged frontline health workers to always use their personal protective equipment (PPE) when carrying out their duties.
Ehanire said: “We have always warned that health workers must use their personal protective equipment.
“Secondly, if you are not trained in infection prevention and control, COVID-19 is not for you as a health worker.
“It is very risky to underrate the infectiousness of this virus because it is not like any other sickness or viral infection that you know.
“That is why we have said only accredited isolation and treatment centres should be handling this infection.”