The Response of Nigerian Government to COVID-19: Patient Management and Diagnosis – A Mini-Review

Abstract

A series of pneumonia cases of unknown cause has emerged in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019 with clinical manifestation highly related to pneumonia. Analysis of the respiratory tract sample of the infected patients by deep sequencing revealed a coronavirus named 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which is relatively considered as a deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Coronaviruses are positive RNA viruses, non-segmented assigned to the family of Coronaviridae, and the order Nidovirales. They are widely distributed in humans and other mammals. Although coronavirus infection is mild, beta coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV-2, and SARS-CoV) epidemic and pandemic have claimed the lives of people all over
the world in the past two decades and presently. There is a scarcity of information on COVID-19 in Nigeria, there are less published information on how physicians are managing COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, and its success and challenge. This research reviewed the current COVID-19 diagnostic techniques used in Nigeria, drugs used in patient management, and general management adopted by physicians. RT-qPCR is the standard diagnostic technique recommended by NCDC, while patient management is basically using a drug such as Lopinavirritonavir and vitamins. However serological tests can be used for supportive information. Hence, PCR-based diagnostic technique is adopted in Nigeria to test for COVID-19, but information about the challenge and success of using PCR in COVID-19 diagnosis is not available which is a new area of research.