COVID-19: We have traced 8,932 people of interest –Task Force

The Presidential Task Force for the Control of Coronavirus (COVID-19) said on Friday it had successfully traced at least 8,932 people of interest and was still monitoring 220 others.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja while giving an update on the activities of the Task Force on an NTA programme, “Good Morning Nigeria.”

The minister, who is also a member of the task force, said the strategy of the team in containing the COVID-19 pandemic is Trace, Test, Isolate and Treat.

He said: “We are tracing people who have come from countries with high prevalence of COVID-19, or those who have come into contact with them.

“We have recorded a lot of success in those who have traveled from countries with high prevalence of COVID-19.

“We have been contacting the 8,932 people daily and monitoring their health status.

“If you have not developed any symptom within the 14 days of your arrival into the country or coming in contact with somebody that has it, we will let you go.

“As of two days ago, we had 220 people and these are people that we call daily and monitor their health status,” he said.

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The minister said another area of contact tracing being handled involves those who came into contact with the people with travel history.

“These are the type of people who will not display any symptom even when they are carrying the disease.

“This category of people had become more difficult to trace and that is why we are saying that they should come out and be tested.

“By and large, we are working with technology and other agencies and I think that we are making some headway,” Mohammed added.

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