Nigeria on Monday recorded 648 new Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 41,180.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also said that 829 COVID-19 patients were treated and discharged on Monday, registering the highest number discharged patients in one day since the index case was reported on February 27 this year.
The health agency noted that Nigeria has conducted a total of 266,323 COVID-19 tests as of Monday.
The NCDC also said that out of the 41,180 cases, 22,117 were active cases, 18,203 were treated and discharged while 860 deaths was recorded in 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Lagos still commands the total number of COVID-19 tally by States with 14,636 confirmed cases, 12,340 active cases, 2,104 discharged and 192 deaths.
FCT follows with 3,525 confirmed cases, 2,420 active cases, 1,185 discharged patients and 41 registered deaths.
Oyo State has 2,599 confirmed cases, 1,390 active cases, 1,185 discharged patients and 24 deaths.
Edo has 2,184 confirmed cases, 673 active cases, 1,434 discharged and 77 death.
Rivers has 1,684 confirmed cases, 263 active cases, 1,369 discharged cases and 52 deaths.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said in Abuja that studies of the NCDC data shows that two thirds of all deaths occur amond the 50 years and above, appealing to Nigerians to protect the nation’s senior citizens.
According to him, “the 70 to 30 male to female gender ratio and the case fatality rate of 2.1 per cent have not changed significantly. Two thirds of all fatalities remain in the over 50 year age group, while comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, etc, are common among all fatalities.
“They underscore the need to protect senior citizens and the vulnerable from infection, by giving special attention to risk communication and priority for admission for observation and treatment. Of utmost concern are still the asymptomatic cases, with the potential to spread the disease, of whom the young and able bodied can be difficult to manage.”
NCDC said that of the 648 new COVID-19 infections from Nigeria’s 21 States and FCT, Lagos maintains its epicentre status with 180, Plateau – 148, FCT – 44, Ondo – 42, Kwara – 38, Rivers – 32, Oyo – 29, Kaduna – 21 and Osun – 20.
Others include Edo and Ogun with 17 new infections each, Ekiti – 11, Kano, Benue, Delta and Abia with 9 new infections each, Niger – 7, Gombe – 3, Borno, Bauchi and Imo with 1 each.