Nigeria on Wednesday recorded 643 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country 34,259.
This is just as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) say that the country now has 53 Federal, State, private and GeneXpert laboratories across 31 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory for testis of COVID, up from four when the initial testing started in Nigeria.
The NCDC said via its official twitter handle that six new deaths were recorded on Wednesday.
It noted that out of 34,259 confirmed cases, 13,999 patients have been treated and discharged while 760 deaths have been recorded in 36 States and the FCT.
NCDC also stated that out of the 643 new cases from 19 States, Lagos still maintains it uneviable position as the epicentre of COVID-19 in Nigeria with 230, Oyo (69), FCT (51), Edo (43), Osun (35), Rivers (30), Ebonyi (30), Kaduna (28), and Ogun (27).
Others include Ondo (23), Plateau (20), Benue (17), Enugu (16), Imo (10), Delta (6), Kano (4), Nasarawa (2), Kebbi (1), and Ekiti (1).
Meanwhile, NCDC has said that in line with the national strategy on testing, it has continued to scale up diagnostic capacity for COVID-19 in the country, which explains the expansion of the testing centres to 53 laboratories across 31 States and the FCT.
The health agency explained that it responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in a whole-of-society approach, adding that its primary goal is to ensure that States took ownership and drive the response.
NCDC advised Nigerians to note that COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another less than six feet.
This explains the imperative of wearing of face masks covering in public settings and when you are around ”people not living in your household.”