In Nigeria, COVID-19 cases nears 40,000 with 604 new cases on Thursday

In Nigeria, COVID-19 cases nears 40,000 with 604 new cases on Thursday

By Charles Joseph

July 24, 2020 - COVID-19 Cases in Africa's most populated country, Nigeria is surging nearer to 40,000 with 604 new cases confirmed on Thursday by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Nigeria tops the list of five countries who account for over 80% of cases in the 15-member West African Continent, accounting for a total of 38,848, over 34 per cent of the more than 100,000 cases in the region.

The nation's disease control centre disclosed on twitter that death toll now stood at 833 with 20 new deaths recorded on Thursday, adding that 16,061 cases have been discharged,

A total of 20 states accounted for the 604 new cases with the Nation's epicentre of the pandemic, Lagos responsible for 203, about 34% of the cases, while Oyo and the FCT recorded 87 and 79 cases respectively.

A breakdown of cases showed Edo with 41; Osun  – 35; Ogun – 24; Rivers – 22; Kaduna – 22; Akwa Ibom – 20; and Plateau – 18. Delta recorded 9 cases, Ebonyi – 9; Imo – 8; Enugu – 5; and Kano – 5; Cross River – 5 ; Katsina – 4; Nasarawa – 3; Borno – 2; Ekiti – 2;  and Bauchi – 1.

It noted that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, would continue to coordinate national response activities across the country.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government plants to support all states with N100 million to boost their COVID-19 response, the Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire disclosed.

Speaking at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing on Thursday, he said: "I am pleased to mention that all states of the federation, including the FCT are receiving support from the COVID-19 response through the Regional Diseases Surveillance Enhancement (REDISSE) Project.

“With this support, all states of the federation will receive N100 million to enhance high impact priority response activities.

“The soon-to-be-reactivated BHCPF will join the funding pool."