Coronavirus: NYSC suspends orientation exercise for corps members

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has shut all its orientation camps over fears of coronavirus.

This is contained in a statement issued by the scheme on Wednesday.

The NYSC management also suspended its ongoing orientation course for the 2020 Batch “A” stream 1, thereby dismissing corps members to their respective places of primary assignments.

“Sequel to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which led to the cancellation of the national sports festival, management of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme wishes to announce the suspension of the on-going orientation course for the 2020 Batch “A” stream 1 corps members,” the statement read.

“Therefore, the corps members shall be posted to commence their primary assignments forthwith, while they shall be invited back to the orientation camps when the situation improves, just like it happened a few years ago when the nation was confronted by the Ebola virus threat.

“Management wishes to state that no corps member or camp official has contracted the virus.”

The novel coronavirus has spread to more countries with over 27 African countries already affected.

Nigeria recorded its third case of the virus on Tuesday after a 30-year-old female citizen returned to the country from the United Kingdom on March 13.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier approved the postponement of the national sports festival which was scheduled to take place in Edo from March 22 to April 1, 2020.

Buhari also barred public officials from embarking on trips to foreign countries.

The federal government also announced that it will be restricting entry into the country for travellers from 13 countries including China, the UK and the US.

Globally, the number of cases of the disease is now hitting high above 200,000.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths from the virus has increased to 7,994 while 82,783 patients have recovered from it.