Lack of Robust Laboratory Testing Infrastructure in Nigeria: A Promoter of Community Transmission Outcome of COVID 19 Virus Indicator
Authors:   Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Bacteriology/Virology/Parasitology Unit, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, O Azuonwu , B C Ama-Okachi ,   Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Bacteriology/Virology/Parasitology Unit, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, CG Onwurah ,   Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, E C Chuku ,   Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Published: January 2021

Background: An outbreak of unknown origin which broke out in China in December 2019 has become a global threat to human lives and economies. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its rapid global spread and concurrent of level devastation. Many countries are currently on lockdown to mitigate the spread while different treatment options have been proposed, but none has been approved by the appropriate authority. Currently, the disease has affected over 10 million people worldwide while claiming as many as 517,877 lives respectively. Aim: To evaluate the inadequate COVID-19 testing capacity in Nigeria, probable causes and how it can promote community transmission of the disease Methodology: Peer-reviewed published research articles containing information on COVID-19, the causative virus and other important details were systematically appraised and summarized. The reviewed studies comprise of cross-sectional and observational studies of wide range of outcome. Findings: COVID-19 which first broke out in Wuhan City of China has now spread to about 216 countries, causing fatalities in large numbers. It has been reported that individuals with increased risk of severe outcomes include the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. The incubation period of the disease ranges from 1-14 days, during which the disease can be transmitted by both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Patients manifest with symptoms such as fever, dry cough, dyspnoea, etc., while the major causes of death include multi-targeted organ failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock, etc. The disease can be diagnosed by the detection of the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 in patient samples via real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Since there is currently no approved therapeutics or vaccine for the disease, early detection and management of symptoms represent the best way of helping patients to recover in good time. While many countries are responding by scaling up their testing capacities, Nigeria has struggled to scale up her testing capacity to a reasonable extent, though not really enough in capacity and robustness, considering the large population size to cover in the country, and this therefore, may pose huge amount of threat of increased community transmission of the disease in our neighbourhood, if not corrected in time Conclusion/recommendation: The leadership of Nigeria agency in-charge of disease control and prevention needs to scale up the testing capacity within the country, as soon as possible to reduce the risk of increased transmission of the disease, while reassuring the inhabitants of the hope and capacity of overcoming the outbreak. It is also very important that long-term development strategies be put in place to revamp the weak health care facilities in the country, with respect to provision of modern technological advanced medical equipment’s and the training of manpower to cover the already existing shortage of expertise in molecular diagnosis and research outcome