The United States Government, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has approved additional $2.1million for COVID-19 containment in Nigeria.
The fund is for a household survey to determine the extent of COVID-19 transmission in Gombe, Enugu, and Nasarawa States.
It will be conducted between September and November with preliminary results expected to be released by December 2020.
In a statement on Thursday, US Embassy in Nigeria, said the survey will increase the current understanding of COVID-19 transmission and burden in these three states.
“The survey will estimate the proportion of the population in these states who have ever been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 disease. This will be accomplished by measuring the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the blood of volunteers.
“These antibodies, specialized proteins produced by the immune system to fight infection, are generated as part of the body’s response to COVID-19 and are an indication of previous infection.
“The survey will also estimate the proportion of people who have the disease but are not showing any symptoms, determine risk factors for infection, and measure the intra-household transmission of COVID-19. The survey will also estimate the prevalence of malaria and its potential relationship to SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
The statement noted that all members of selected households will be offered the opportunity to participate in the survey.
If they agree, participants will answer a brief questionnaire, have their blood drawn and tested for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies, and receive a nasal swab and oropharyngeal swab to test for acute COVID-19.
They will also have a rapid malaria test and receive malaria treatment if the test is positive.
Testing for COVID-19 infection and antibodies will be done at the National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa, Abuja.
