THE NATION

PATIENTS suspected to be infected with coronavirus in Bayelsa State have decried the delays in getting results from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control’s (NCDC) laboratories in Benin, Edo State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The lamentation came just as the state government, through its Task Force on Covid-19, acknowledged the delays, explaining that it was due to scarcity of reagents at the NCDC laboratories in Benin and Port Harcourt.

Co-chairman of Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force Dr. Nathaniel Apoku said the state in the last two weeks had over 300 pending samples of suspected coronavirus cases at laboratories.

He added that the state in the last two weeks had over 300 pending samples of suspected COVID-19 cases at laboratories.

The laboratories, according to him, were having issues with reagents and supplies, hence the delay in returning the results.

He dismissed speculations that the delays were caused by the task force, saying that the COVID-19 team chaired by Governor Douye Diri was working hard to establish a world-class molecular laboratory to carry out the tests.

However, investigation showed that the worst affected persons were medical personnel, who reportedly had contacts with confirmed cases, went into self-isolation for two weeks and the test results are still being awaited.

Governor Douye Diri has, however, asked the state task force to unseal worship centres that ran foul of measures imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Diri gave the directive yesterday at an enlarged meeting with religious leaders.

At the meeting held at the Executive Chambers in Government House, Yenagoa, Diri urged the religious leaders to partner actively and spiritually with his administration to avert a rise of the pandemic through conscious awareness on the threat of the virus to their congregation.

His Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as having expressed concern over the daily update from the NCDC with the state recording 54 fresh cases on Tuesday.

Announcing fresh guidelines for churches to adhere to, Diri suspended mid-week activities, including gatherings at home cells.