The Federal Government expects a steady rise in the number of coronavirus [COVID-19] cases in the coming weeks with “more diligent testing, treatment, isolation and (contact) tracing.”

This was disclosed by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, at the briefing by the Presidential task Force on COVID-19 on Friday.

He added that in the use of the GeneXpert machines, the government would prioritise Sokoto and Borno states as soon as the cartridges begin to arrive in a few weeks.

He said,

“A Federal Ministry of Health team has been assembled to proceed to Sokoto and Borno on fact-finding and support missions to engage with state authorities and determine material and technical needs.

“A most immediate probability is the prioritisation of these states for the deployment of repurposed GeneXpert machines as soon as we start receiving the cartridges in a few weeks to bring speed to testing.”