The United States Government says it has donated $2.1 million (800,100,000 Naira) to the federal government so as to assist in studying the extent of COVID-19 infections in the country.
The US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, in a statement in Abuja, said the donation made through the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was for the conduct of household survey to determine the extent of COVID-19 transmission in Gombe, Enugu, and Nasarawa states.
“The survey will increase the current understanding of COVID-19 transmission and burden in these three states and inform COVID-19 response efforts of the Government of Nigeria and its partners.
“The U.S. CDC is funding the full cost of the survey ($2.1 million) and providing technical assistance as part of the U.S. Government’s bilateral efforts to improve the health and well-being of the Nigerian people,” it stated.
The Embassy noted that studies needed to be carried out to understand the country’s actual covid-19 status.
It said that a core area of the research would be the study of antibodies but added that it would be participatory.
“All members of selected households will be offered the opportunity to participate in the survey,” it stated.
It stressed that it was expecting the survey to be concluded by December.
The statement partly reads:
“The survey will be conducted between September and November with preliminary results expected to be released by December 2020.
“The survey will estimate the proportion of the population in these states who have ever been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 disease.
” This will be accomplished by measuring the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the blood of volunteers.
“These antibodies, specialized proteins produced by the immune system to fight infection, are generated as part of the body’s response to COVID-19 and are an indication of previous infection.”
Nigeria as of today, recorded a total case of 57,849 cases, 49,098 recoveries and 1102 deaths.
(C) Control TV 2020.
