The Nigerian government says chloroquine had been found in some tests to work in a test-tube as a treatment for coronavirus.
Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos State.
NAN reports that he spoke at the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) briefing on the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Ehanire said that some people claimed they had herbs and local cures for COVID-19, “but the efficacy of medicine needs to be proven before the government can recommend it for people to take”.
He noted that other states were prepared but that “Lagos State is a forerunner because it has the most cases”.
The PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, commended the governor and people of Lagos State for their response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country
“I am very confident that we shall overcome COVID-19 as a people,” said Mustapha, the Secretary Government of the Federation.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), there are 238 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with five deaths.
Lagos tops with 120 cases while Abuja has recorded 48.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there are 9,600 cases in Africa with 466 deaths.
