138 NYSC corps members test positive for COVID-19 – NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday said 138 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had so far tested positive to COVID-19.

Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General, NCDC, said this at the national briefing on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja.

Ihekweazu said none of those who tested positive was allowed into the camps.

According to him, 34,785 corps members and members of the camp communities have been tested with 138 turning positive representing 0.4 percent prevalence.

“It means one out of 200 people,” he explained.

The NCDC boss said those who tested positive were either managed at home or in a treatment centre, depending on if they had symptoms and what state they were in.

With talks between striking university teachers and the Federal Government progressed getting more positive, he said the next challenge would be how to work with those in the education sector to ensure safe reopening of universities.

“Universities are slightly riskier and present unique challenges, but we are confident that we can address this as we have done in other sectors like aviation,” Mr Ihekweazu said.

NYSC camps for orientation activities were recently reopened after a period of shutdown following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.