NYSC dismisses report of COVID-19 infections in Bauchi orientation camp

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), on Sunday, dismissed reports that some corps members tested positive for COVID-19 in its orientation camp in Bauchi State.

The Bauchi State government had said on Friday that at least eight corps members had tested positive for the virus at the NYSC camp in Wailo, Ganjuwa local government area of the state.

The Information Officer of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Ibrahim Sani, said in a statement that a surveillance team was deployed to the camp to carry out sample collections in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.

However, the NYSC Director of Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja urged Nigerians to disregard the report.

She noted that all corps members were subjected to COVID-19 test by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The director stressed that COVID-19 was a prerequisite for admission into the camps in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Adeyemi said those who tested positive for the virus were not admitted but referred to the NCDC for treatment and management.

“The attention of the management of the National Youth Service Corps has been drawn to a media report, which erroneously states that 8 Corps Members currently undergoing Orientation Course in Bauchi State NYSC Orientation Camp tested positive to COVID-19.

Read also: NYSC dismisses claims of COVID-19 cases in orientation camps

“Management wishes to posit that at present, no corps member, undergoing orientation course in Bauchi state or any of the orientation camps of the Scheme across the nation, is COVID-19 positive.

“It is very pertinent to note that all the prospective corps members of the foregoing programme underwent COVID-19 test, conducted by Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which was a prerequisite condition for admission into any of the 37 camps. Those that tested positive were not admitted into the camps but were duly referred to the NCDC for treatment and management.

“Therefore, reporting that 8 Corps Members undergoing Orientation Course in Bauchi State tested positive to COVID-19 is very misleading, as there is no COVID-19 positive Corps Member in Bauchi camp or any of the NYSC camps.”

Adeyemi further enjoined all corps members and camp officials to always observe all COVID-19 protocols as issued by the scheme in collaboration with the NCDC.

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