The Niger State Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Makusidi, has described the hot weather condition in the state as a positive development capable of keeping coronavirus at bay.
Makusidi, who disclosed this at a press conference in Minna on Monday, said coronavirus would not survive under the present weather condition in the state, which he put at 40°C, saying that it could still go higher.
He explained that if the state could keep Lassa fever at bay, it would also do same to coronavirus, assuring that the ministry was ready for it.
The commissioner said that isolation centres had been made available inside and outside the hospital to quarantine any person who might be affected by the virus.
“We thank God for the media; we are sensitising our people on radio, television and even in mosques and churches on the importance of hand washing and the need to use hand sanitisers as often as possible.
“The ministry is now producing sanitisers so that it can be made available to everybody at subsidised price. We decided to do that because some people are taking advantage of the situation to exploit others.
“The ministry, with the support from the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has already started sharing information on how to prevent infection and mitigate it in case of an outbreak in the state,” he said.
Makusidi further explained that the state would strengthen the surveillance system to detect any case of coronavirus, including investigation and monitoring of any outbreak.
“The Public Health Emergency Operation Centre (PHEOC) would continue to be on watch mode and continue to enhance surveillance in the state,” he said.nan
