Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia Government has commenced laboratory analysis of suspected COVID-19 samples collected within the state.
The test is done at the Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Amachara, in the outskirts of the state capital.
Prior to the test commencement, COVID-19 samples were taken to Irrua in Edo State.
Samples collected were later taken to Abakaliki, Ebony State when the laboratory was established in that state.
According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi-Kalu, commencement of the test in Abia was as a result of the nod given to the centre by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) after its inspection visit last weekend.
The team from NCDC also trained staff of the laboratory and supervised the analysis of the initial test samples with results tallying with that obtained at their facility in Abuja.
With this development, all samples from Abia State would now be analysed at the Amachara laboratory.