Coronavirus: 21 states have less than 100 beds to treat patients

21 states are below the threshold of bed spaces, recommended as enough by the Ministry of Health, for the treatment of coronavirus patients.

Nigeria has recorded 8,344 coronavirus cases in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as of May 26, 2020.

14 of the states, including the FCT, have already recorded more than 100 cases.

The Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamora, expressed worry during a media briefing on Wednesday, May 27 that some states are not ready to deal with the concerning increase in the number of coronavirus cases across the country.

He said only four states and the FCT have more than 300 bed spaces recommended as the minimum to treat patients.

"At present, we have a total of 112 treatment and isolation centres in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 5,324 beds.

"While only 5 states, including the FCT, have at least 300 beds as prescribed for isolation and treatment, 21 states have less than a hundred bed spaces.

"As the number of cases increase, there is an urgent need to expand our treatment centres across the country," he said.

The Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamora, says non-pharmaceutical preventive approach is still Nigeria's best strategy against the coronavirus disease [Guardian] Pulse Nigeria

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said last week that plans are in place to start treating asymptomatic patients at home in a bid to decongest isolation centres.

Mamora said the increasing numbers could seriously exceed the capacity of Nigeria's health system.

The minister called on state governments and philanthropists to take active and deliberate steps to scale up the number of beds for isolation and treatment of confirmed cases in their states.

He also announced that Nigeria is part of global efforts to find a lasting solution to the novel disease, but appealed to members of the public to continue to adhere to safety measures.

"Non-pharmaceutical preventive approach is still our best strategy," he said.

Nigeria, at the time of this report, has 5,710 active cases. 2,385 people have recovered and been discharged, but 249 people have died.