Lagos State Government has discharged 11 more COVID-19 patients, the largest single batch since the index case was admitted on February 27, after their viral loads returned negative.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu broke the news yesterday on his Twitter handle, @jidesanwoolu, just as the federal government announced the distribution of 110,751 face masks, face shields and overall gowns donated by the Chinese billionaire, Mr. Jack Ma, to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The federal government has also opened an account for the management of COVID-19 cases in the country.
It, however, urged Nigerians to expect possible astronomical rise in the number of positive cases of the COVID-19 in the coming days as it had successfully located 71 per cent of the 6,000 contacts it was tracing.

By yesterday, the country recorded 10 new cases of the virus, jacking up the total to 184.

However, the 10 new cases, announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), did not include six new cases recorded in Osun State, and independently announced by the state government, which brought the number of patients in the state to 20.

Akwa Ibom State Government also yesterday denied any positive case of the virus in the state as reported by the NCDC, saying all the five reported positive cases had been contacted and they showed no symptoms.

With the discharge of 11 patients yesterday, Lagos State Government has so far successfully treated 19 people at its Infectious Disease Centre in Yaba since the outbreak of the pandemic.

In total, 20 persons have now been discharged in Nigeria.

Giving details on the discharge of the 11 patients, Sanwo-Olu said they had fully recovered and had returned home to their families.
He said: “I am happy to break to you, my good people of Lagos, the news of the release today of 11 more patients from our facility in Yaba.
“They have fully recovered and have tested negative for COVID-19 and have been allowed to return home to their families.”

He identified the patients to include two females and nine males, adding that their results came out negative in two rounds of test.
“I want to use this opportunity to, once again, thank our frontline health workers and other professionals for their service.

“Let me reiterate that this is not the time to relax, but to maintain our vigilance because of the community infection that we are beginning to see,” he stated.

He said at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state would hoist a flag of victory.