COVID-19: We are yet to test 3,000 samples over shortage of kits, says Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, says there are about 3, 000 samples in the state yet to be tested for COVID-19.

The governor, in a statement on Monday, blamed this on the global lack of reagent for molecular testing of the samples.

“We have 3,000 samples collected but we have not been able to carry the test because of the global shortage of reagent for molecular testing,” he said.

“We are hoping that some of the reagents will be supplied tomorrow and Tuesday. It would not be out of place to see positive cases in the range of 20 percent out of the 3,000 samples collected.

“We are improving the capacity of our isolation facilities in preparation to take care of more patients.”

He said the state is hoping to get the reagent soon so the collected samples can be tested.

In April, the government had set up COVID-19 testing centres across the 20 local government areas (LGAs) in the state.

The decision to establish the testing sites across the LGAs, the government, had said was geared towards increasing testing capacity in the state.