Daily COVID Tracker: China reports first casualities in more than one year amid Omicron surge

Nigeria logged 11 cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Saturday. 

China reports two COVID deaths — first in more than one year

China has reported two COVID-19 fatalities on Saturday — the first deaths in more than a year.

The National Health Commission said the two deaths were reported in the northeastern region of Jilin.

Though the country battles the surge in Omicron cases, it has kept its fatality toll at bay.

The last COVID fatality recorded in China was January 25, 2021.

The country logged 2,157 new COVID-19 cases from community transmission on Saturday, with the majority in Jilin.

The deaths, which occurred in northern Jilin province, raised the total number of coronavirus deaths in the country to 4,638.

WHO: COVID-19 pandemic ‘far from over’

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the end to the COVID-19 pandemic is “far from over”.

The WHO had said countries must vaccinate 70 percent of their population to witness an end to the acute phase of the pandemic.

But fielding questions from a journalist at a media conference regarding the end of the pandemic, Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson, said it is “far from over”.

“We are definitely in the middle of the pandemic,” she said.

Ecuador ends COVID restriction on gatherings 

Ecuador has declared an end to COVID limits on public and private gatherings.

President Guillermo Lasso said the government ended the two years long pandemic quarantine measures after reaching its goal of fully vaccinating 85 percent of the population.

“Public gatherings including workplaces, sporting events, shopping centres, theatres and other entertainment venues can now operate at a full capacity,” the president said.

“Today, we have the pandemic under control. Ecuador is ready to take a new leap into the future.”

However, foreign visitors will still be required to show proof of vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 test.

Nigeria logs 11 infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said 11 new cases were recorded across the country.

The agency’s update for March 18, 2021, showed the infections were logged in four states.

Below is the breakdown of the infections:

Lagos-8

Kaduna-1

Nasarawa-1

Rivers-1

Three persons were discharged after they recovered from the infections, according to the agency.

There were no new deaths, keeping the total number of fatalities at 3,142.

So far, Nigeria has confirmed 255,103 cases and 249,460 recoveries.

EU health body recommends free COVID tests, vaccination for Ukrainian refugees

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has based countries to provide free COVID testing for refugees from Ukraine to avoid outbreaks as more people continue to flee the country following Russia’s invasion.

EDCD said refugees from Ukraine should be offered a full course of COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses if they don’t have proof of vaccination.

Amid the war in Ukraine, residents have fled to neighbouring countries including Poland, Slovakia and Romania. Meanwhile, reception centres are said to be at a greater risk of disease outbreaks.

The ECDC said countries should test at those centres, and isolate those displaying symptoms.