Nigeria on Wednesday recorded 1,424 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Thursday.
Omicron may become dominant variant in Europe in early 2022, says ECDC
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says there is a high risk that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will become dominant in Europe in early 2022.
In a statement on Wednesday, ECDC said the Omicron variant will most likely take over from Delta as the dominant variant within the first two months of 2022.
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“Community-associated spread of the Omicron variant of concern (VOC) is occurring in the EU/EEA and the Omicron VOC will probably become dominant in early 2022, based on mathematical modelling predictions. We, therefore, assess the probability of further spread of the Omicron variant in the EU/EEA as very high,” the statement reads.
Nigeria records 1,424 COVID cases
Nigeria recorded one of its highest single-day count of infections on Wednesday.
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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed 1,424 new COVID-19 cases across 14 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) in its update for December 15.
Lagos was top of the list on Wednesday with 796 new positive samples, followed by Delta with 152, and the FCT with 130.
The NCDC said “153 cases reported for Delta state are from 13th (13), and 14th (139) December 2021”.
With the new cases, the country’s total number of confirmed cases has now exceeded 220,000.
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One person died of COVID complications raising the country’s fatality toll to 2,983.
However, 38 people were discharged as the current total recovery count now stands at 211,292.
A total of 220,020 cases have now been confirmed across 36 states and the FCT.
1,424 new cases of COVID19Nigeria;
Lagos-796
Delta-152
FCT-130
Edo-129
Oyo-82
Ondo-39
Rivers-39
Kaduna-15
Enugu-9
Anambra-8
Kwara-7
Ogun-7
Bayelsa-4
Kano-4
Akwa Ibom-3Advertisement
Google directs employees to get vaccinated against COVID or get sacked
Google has asked its employees to get vaccinated against COVID or they will lose their pay and eventually get fired, according to CNBC citing internal documents.
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A memo circulated by the company said employees have till December 3 to declare their status and upload documentation showing proof of vaccination or apply for a medical or religious exemption.
The company said after that date it would start contacting employees who are yet to upload their status or were unvaccinated.
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CNBC quoted documents as saying employees who have not complied with the rules by the January 18 deadline will be placed on paid administrative leave for 30 days, then unpaid personal leave for up to six months followed by termination.
Merck partners Innovative Biotech to establish vaccine production facility in Nigeria
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Merck, a leading science and technology company, has announced that its life science business sector has signed an agreement with Innovative Biotech (IB) to support the establishment of a vaccine production facility in Nigeria.
Innovative Biotech operates from Keffi, Nasarawa state as well as the US.
In a statement on Tuesday, Merck said the collaboration is part of the West African pandemic readiness programme, which aims to localise vaccine development in African nations.
US COVID death toll surpasses 800,000
The United States has surpassed 800,000 coronavirus-related deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
As of the time this report was filed, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed that 50,374,099 cases have been reported in the US with 802,502 deaths.
In a statement, President Joe Biden described the development as a “tragic milestone”.
“As we mark the tragic milestone of 800,000 American deaths due to COVID-19, we remember each person and the lives they lived, and we pray for the loved ones left behind,” Biden said.
“I know what it’s like to stare at an empty chair around the kitchen table, especially during the holiday season, and my heart aches for every family enduring this pain.”
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