President Buhari’s Minister Tests Positive For COVID-19

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Pauline Tallen tested positive for COVID-19 after a routine test conducted on her and members of the family, Channels Television reports.

In a statement on Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari’s minister said she was asymptomatic but was advised to go for the test which returned positive.

Tallen said she has gone into isolation and is receiving treatment, adding that members of her family were negative.

The statement reads: “Following interaction with individuals that later show asymptomatic sign of COVID19, I have been advised by my medical team to undergo the test and self isolate for observation over the past few days.

“This is to inform the general public that after undergoing a test carried out on myself and members of my family, my result returned positive while that of members of my family tested negative.

“Currently, I am asymptomatic and have gone into isolation during the period of treatment. Please keep me in your prayers and I implore you all stay safe and observe all COVID-19 protocols as we grapple with this pandemic.

“I urge you all to please take responsibility for yourself and family in order to protect our dear country even more at this time.”

The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 829 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the new cases were confirmed in a post on the agencies official Twitter handle on Saturday night.

The newly confirmed cases bring Nigeria’s total infection to 83,576, with 70,495 discharged so far.

This Newspaper reports that the disease control agency also recorded 1,247 unfortunate death.