Daily COVID Tracker: Infections decline as NCDC reports 12 cases in three states

Nigeria on Sunday recorded 12 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Monday. 

Belgian woman contracts two COVID variants

A 90-year-old woman in Belgium died in March 2021, after contracting two strains of coronavirus.

The woman, who was treated at a hospital in Aalst, had not been vaccinated.

According to researchers in Belgium, the woman tested positive for B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant which originated in the UK, and B.1.351 (Beta), first detected in South Africa.

The development is said to be the first-known instance of someone simultaneously contracting two different variants of the virus.

The case was presented at the 2021 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) held on Saturday.

618 Thailand medical workers infected after Sinovac COVID vaccination

Thailand says more 618 of its medical workers who received two doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine have been infected with COVID-19.

Out of the 677,348 medical personnel who received two doses of Sinovac, 618 became infected. A nurse reportedly died while another medical worker is said to be in critical condition.

Sopon Iamsirithawon, senior health official, said an expert panel has recommended a third dose to trigger immunity for medical workers who are at risk.

“This will be a different vaccine, either viral vector AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine, which Thailand will be receiving in the near term,” Iamsirithawon said on Sunday.

NCDC logs two new deaths, 12 infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 12 people tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.

The latest positive samples of COVID-19 were recorded in three states, according to the agency’s update for July 11.

States that recorded new infections are  Akwa Ibom (6), Ogun (4) and Rivers (2).

Two persons were confirmed to have died of COVID-19 complications on Sunday, increasing the country’s fatality toll to 2,124.

Meanwhile, according to the agency, eight new recoveries were reported across the country in the last 24 hours.

A total of 168,552 COVID-19 cases have now been confirmed — out of which 164,439 persons have been discharged.

Lagos witnessing ‘steep increase’ in COVID cases

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, says the state is seeing a “steep increase” in the number of daily confirmed cases.

Sanwo-Olu said this in the COVID update on Sunday.

“Fellow Lagosians, starting around the end of March 2021, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos state began to wind down, and we began to enjoy some reprieve from the worst effects of the virus,” he said.

”Regrettably, in spite of the hard work and dedicated efforts towards sustaining the return to normalcy over the last three months, we are now finding ourselves at what appears to be the start of a potential third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos State.

”From the beginning of July, we started to experience a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1 per cent at the end of June 2021 to its current rate of 6.6 per cent as at 8th of July 2021.”

Oyo records Delta variant

The Oyo COVID-19 task force says it has uncovered  the Delta variant of the virus in the state.

Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to Seyi Makinde, governor of the state, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

“This strain has been associated with high transmission, increase severity of infection and outcomes,” the statement reads.

“As such, this is to warn that the virus is still very much within the society.

“All in-bound travellers should always isolate for seven days and submit themselves for tests.

“The ‘Own Your Action’ (OYA) initiative of the state government should be seriously considered by adhering to the guidelines of wearing nose masks in public gatherings, washing of hands with soap and water and use of hand sanitisers, among others.

“The State COVID-19 TaskForce hereby appeals to the good people of Oyo State to comply with these and other advisories as they apply to individuals and organisations.

“It would be appreciated if all in-bound travellers from abroad maintain the mandatory seven-day isolation and subsequent testing before mingling with the populace.”

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA