Nigeria recorded 176 new Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on Tuesday just as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) warned that the nation cannot celebrate the celebrate decline in national figures until sufficient numbers are tested of the virus in every State of the federation.
NCDC) said via its official Twitter handle the total COVID-19 confirmed figures of 57,613 came out of the 484,051 sample tests conducted since February 27 when the virus was first reported in Nigeria.
Out of the total confirmed cases, 48,836 have been treated and discharged, 7,677 are still under treatment in various isolation centres. And with no death recorded on Tuesday, total deaths remains steady at 1,100 across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The NCDC also said that the 176 new cases were reported from 14 States of the federation with Lagos regaining back its epicentre status with the highest infection of 73, Plateau (50), FCT (17), Rivers (8), Ondo (6), Niger (5), Ogun (5), Edo (3), Kaduna (3), Oyo (2), Bauchi (1), Bayelsa (1), Delta (1), and Nasarawa (1).
The health agency explained that drivers of COVID-19 were different across the country, noting therefore that sub-national understanding of transmission was critical.
It stated: “We can’t celebrate decline in national figures until we test sufficient numbers in every State.”
The NCDC said that the most common signs and symptoms reported by COVID-19 patients in Nigeria were cough and fever, adding however that most patients who died were reported to have difficulty in breathing.
The agency said that a properly worn facemask acts as a protective barrier to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Most people who died were 61-70 years of age. Wear a mask properly covering your nose and mouth, no gaps secured with straps. Remember, a facemask is a personal item and must not be shared,” it said.
