NCDC declares coronavirus viability period
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that the longest viability period of a Coronavirus (COVID-19) is 10 days.
According to a new study by infectious diseases experts in Singapore, COVID-19 patients are no longer infectious after 11 days of getting sick.
“A positive test “does not equate to infectiousness or viable virus. The virus “could not be isolated or cultured after day 11 of illness” a joint research paper by Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases and the Academy of Medicine Singapore said.
The paper was based on a study of 73 patents in the city-state.
NCDC DG, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu said in line with this latest findings, the health agency would review criteria for admission and discharge of patients.
He noted that it would solve the shortage of bed space in isolation centres across the country.
“We are now relooking our practice in terms of discharge criteria, and even who to keep in hospital, and who can stay at home and for how long.