Daily COVID Tracker: Infections surge as NCDC logs 203 cases in six states

Nigeria on Sunday recorded 203 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Monday.

FG places six states, FCT on red alert over COVID third wave

The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC) has placed six states and the federal capital territory (FCT) on red alert amid fears of a third wave of the pandemic.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and chairman of the committee, said the decision was taken “following the confirmation of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 and the rising number of infections and hospitalization in the country”.

The states are Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau and the FCT.

The PSC, however, warned that all states of the federation should heighten their preparedness and continue to enforce all COVID protocol, given the renowned greater ease of spread of the Delta variant.

NIMR DG asks FG to prepare for COVID third wave

Babatunde Salako, director-general, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), has asked the federal government to prepare for the third wave of COVID in the country.

Salako said this on Saturday in an interview with NAN in Lagos.

The medical expert said though the country is yet to see the third wave of infection, there is a need to preempt the spread owing to the highly infectious Delta variant.

“I will not say we have entered yet but it is an opportunity for us to prepare because a lot of Nigerians have lowered their guards and no longer comply with all the COVID-19 guidelines,” he said.

“We don’t want to have the kind of experience countries like India are going through, so it is not only in the hand of the government alone but also in the hand of the people to do the needful.

“The nature of the COVID-19, Delta variant, is that it affects people easily and with that knowledge, we should preempt that.

“We must also get our isolation centres ready and there should be retraining of staff in getting ready for a likely third wave.

“More importantly, we should expedite the process of the purchase of our vaccine to vaccinate a large majority of Nigerians and I am aware that the government is doing a lot about that.”

Nigeria records 203 new cases, one death

Nigeria’s COVID cases witnessed a leap on Sunday.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 203 people tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.

The latest positive samples of COVID-19 were recorded in five states and the federal capital territory (FCT), according to the agency’s update for July 18, 2021.

The NCDC said Sunday’s update includes data from Oyo state for July 16.

States that recorded new infections are Lagos (186), Edo (4), Oyo (4), Rivers (4), FCT (3) and Kwara (2).

One person was confirmed to have died of COVID-19 complications on Sunday, raising the country’s total fatality toll to 2,127.

According to the agency, 27 new recoveries were reported across the country in the last 24 hours.

A total of 169,532 COVID-19 cases have now been confirmed — out of which 164,699 persons have been discharged.

No herbal medicine approved for treatment of COVID, says NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has not approved any herbal medicine for treatment of COVID-19.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by Olusayo Akintola, NAFDAC spokesman.

The statement quoted Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC director-general, as saying “no single drug has been found yet to cure COVID-19”.

She said any product without NAFDAC approval for the cure of COVID-19 is null and void, adding that anyone with a claim to the contrary is in violation of the protocol of national regulatory authorities.

UK lifts COVID restrictions

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions in England – despite experts warning that the move will drive a spike in infections owing to new variants.

The restrictions which ended on Sunday midnight, now put an end to rules on mask-wearing and social distancing.

Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen. Theatres and cinemas will also be able to operate at full capacity.

“If we don’t do it now we’ve got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it?” Johnson said.

“This is the right moment but we’ve got to do it cautiously. We’ve got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there.”

Johnson is in isolation after Sajid Javid, health minister, tested positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA