Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
(NCDC),Chikwe Ihekweazu has disclosed that 90 percent of Coronavirus
patients recover without intervention.
The NCDC DG disclosed this while commenting on how Governor Seyi
Makinde of Oyo State recovered in less than one week after testing
positive for the virus.
Ihekweazu said;
“We should remember that 90 per cent of these patients recover
without any intervention. So, if you take something and say you
recovered and that something is why you recovered, it doesn’t quite add
up. So, hopefully, there will be some treatment emerging over the next
few years but remember that people recover from many viruses; that’s the
way it happens.“There are very few viruses with a cure. Even the ones that have a
bad outcome like lassa fever – 20 per cent of patients die from it – it
still means that 80 per cent of patients will recover without any
treatment per se. What happens is that the body is supported to recover
on its own. So, you go to a hospital and for COVID-19, you’re given
oxygen. Oxygen is not really a treatment; it’s to keep you alive for
long enough for you to recover yourself.”
The NCDC DG also appealed to political leaders to refrain from
announcing details of COVID-19 cases in their states, and leave such
actions to experts.
He added;
“We’re really appealing to our leaders across the country. Please,
let the experts do the reporting. Nobody should reveal the identity of a
patient, even if it’s the first patient in your state. Please, do not
reveal the identity of a patient; the circumstances whether he’s a
doctor not. We don’t need all of that. This is a virus. They haven’t
committed an offence; they haven’t done anything wrong. We have to show
empathy towards all our patients; that’s what we signed up to as
healthcare workers,” he said.“Political leaders announcing details of COVID-19 cases is not
ill-intentioned but about them not understanding the ethics and norms of
the medical practice and public health”.