COVID-19: Nigeria records 566 new cases, 11 deaths as infections surge

THE Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday reported 566 additional Covid-19 infections due to a surge in the spread of the Delta variant in the country.

The NCDC, which made this known via its website on Friday Morning, also stated that 11 Covid-19 related deaths were recorded as of Aug. 5.

According to the NCDC, 566 new infections were recorded across 11 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It stated that Lagos State, the country’s epicentre, reported 283 cases while Akwa Ibom followed with 88 cases and Oyo State ranked third with 62 cases.

Rivers recorded 62 cases to rank fourth while the FCT reported 18 new infections.

Ogun State and Ekiti reported 17 and 13 Infections each, while Kwara recorded 11, even as Plateau and Zamfara reported six and three, with Kaduna and Kastina registering two cases each, respectively.

It added that five states: Edo, Nasarawa, Ondo, Osun and Sokoto reported zero cases.

The Public health agency noted that the figure raised the country’s total infections to 176,577, while the fatality toll now stands at 2,178.

The News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new infections indicate an increase from the 747 cases announced a day earlier.

The figure is the highest daily infection recorded in the country for more than five months.

The country’s Covid-19 infections have been rising over the past weeks since the discovery of the Delta strain, bringing fears of renewed pressure on the health system.

The NCDC stated that 125 people had recovered and were discharged from various isolation centres in the country on Thursday.

It said that to date, 165,333 recoveries had been recorded nationwide in 36 states and the FCT.

The agency added that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 2, continued to coordinate the national response activities.

The health institute said the country had also tested more than 2.5 million samples for the virus out of the country’s estimated 200 million population.

The NCDC said the country’s Covid-19 average positive test rate was six per cent.

It stated that the country’s active cases stood 9, 033, as of Aug. 5.

Meanwhile, the agency said the country’s infections in week 30, increased to 3,218 from 1,579 reported in week 29.

These were reported in 28 states and the FCT.

It stated that in week 30, the number of discharged cases increased to 218 from 90 in week 29. These were also reported in 16 states and the FCT.

The NCDC said there were 17 deaths reported in the last week. Noting that cumulatively, since the outbreak began in week 9, 2020, 174,315 cases and 2,149 deaths were reported with a case fatality rate of 1.2 per cent.

It said in week 30, the number of inbound international travellers tested stood at 3,702 of which 155 were positive, compared to 74, out of 2,836 samples tested from week 29.

It added in week 30, the number of outbound international travellers tested was 5,529 of which 207 were positive, compared to 141 out of 3,376 samples tested from week 29. (NAN)