As Nigerians express concern about the continuous spread of the Coronavirus, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has revealed that there is a high possibility of the virus being transmitted sexually.
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Addressing journalists on Thursday in an emergency press briefing in Abuja, Ehanire, said that he believed that if a person is positive, the virus can be transmitted sexually.
This is, however, subject to scientific testing as the Covid-19 is a new disease and a lot of research is ongoing on the pattern of transmission of the disease.
Some scientists, in the meantime, have claimed that the virus cannot be transmitted through sexual intercourse except via oral sex.
According to a scientist, Jessica Justman, there are no patterns that indicate that the virus can be sexually transmitted.
Justman advised that people who test positive to the pandemic should steer clear of their partners as much as possible in order not to expose them to the disease.
Meanwhile, it has been established that Covid-19 can be transmitted from person to person and primarily spread through respiratory droplets. Touching contaminated surfaces is thought to be the secondary mode of transmission.
This is believed to be one of the reasons the World Health Organisation, WHO, and health experts have been campaigning that people should always wash their hands with soap and water as much as possible and adopt the use of sanitizers when handwashing is not possible.
The United Nation health agency further advised frequent handwashing with soap under running water or using an alcohol-based sanitiser.
People were also advised to avoid large gatherings and needless physical contact and to always clean surfaces frequently with disinfectants.
Also, Mr Ehanire said it is not everyone that has to wear a face mask, stressing that this act will affect the supply of the masks for medical personnel.
Many Nigerians have been wearing face masks in an attempt to prevent contracting the virus but the minister noted that if the face masks were for everyone, “Jack Ma will have had to donate 200 million masks.”
