The Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Amaracha, has started laboratory analysis of suspected COVID-19 samples taken within the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi.
According to the Commissioner, the development was sequel to the approval given by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday.
Mr Okiyi noted that that the NCDC team had been on an inspection tour of the health facility last weekend and had 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.
Fresh Cases
Abia State had on Tuesday reported 20 fresh COVID-19 infections, according to the NCDC.
In the late-night update by the health agency, the country also recorded eight new COVID-19 deaths and 452 fresh cases.
The NCDC said the new cases were reported in 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Giving a breakdown of the figures, the NCDC said Lagos leads other states with 209 cases, followed by Oyo with 67 infections and Delta with 37 people infected with the virus.
