Daily COVID Tracker: NCDC logs 428 new infections, eight deaths

Nigeria on Tuesday recorded 428 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Wednesday.

US hits new daily record with over 1 million fresh COVID infections

The United States has set a new single-day record with over one million fresh coronavirus infections recorded in the country.

Data from the Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource centre showed that the US “reported 1,082,549 new confirmed cases and 1,688 deaths” for Monday.

With the latest update, the US has now confirmed a total of 56,697,387 infections, including 829,091 deaths.

The new figure comes days after a previous daily record of 590,000 cases.

New COVID variant discovered in France

A new COVID variant has been discovered in France.

The variant, called B.1.640.2 and dubbed the IHU variant, is said to have infected 12 people in France so far.

According to a research paper published by scientists at the Méditerranée Infection University Hospital Institute (IHU) in France, the first case was linked to a person with travel history to Cameroon.

The scientists said the strain carries mutations which can make it more resistant to vaccines and can make it more transmissible.

Nigeria reports 428 cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 428 cases were reported across the country.

The agency said the new cases were logged in 13 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

428 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria

Rivers-188

Ondo-54

FCT-42

Imo-25

Nasarawa-24

Oyo-23

Edo-18

Akwa Ibom-16

Ogun-14

Osun-10

Kano-7

Ekiti-3

Borno-2

Plateau-2

According to the NCDC data, 634 people were discharged after they recovered from the infection.

But eight persons were said to have died from COVID-19 complications.

The NCDC said 25 confirmed cases reported for Imo state is for January 3, 16 confirmed cases reported for Akwa Ibom state is for December 31 (9) and January 2 (7), adding that seven confirmed cases reported for Kano state is for January 3.

The agency also said two confirmed cases reported for Borno state is for January 3, while 231 discharged cases reported for Imo state for January 3 are community discharges.

So far, 244,548 infections have been recorded with 216,814 recoveries and 3,053 fatalities across the 36 states and the FCT.

Botswana’s president in isolation after testing positive to COVID

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi is in mandatory self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 in routine testing.

“The president does not have any symptoms and will continue to receive close medical monitoring by his medical doctors,’’ John-Thomas Dipowe, acting permanent secretary for government communications, said in a statement.

He said Slumber Tsogwane, the vice-president, will assume the president’s responsibilities until further notice.

New coronavirus infections have risen sharply in the Southern African country since the detection of the Omicron variant late last year.

100,000 key workers in UK to take COVID test every working day

Boris Johnson, UK prime minister, says about 100,000 workers in key industries in UK will be told to take COVID tests on every working day to catch infections early and avoid the virus spreading to colleagues.

Speaking at the first Downing Street COVID press conference of 2022, Johnson said lateral flow tests would be sent directly to workplaces for “critical national services” including food, transport and border staff.

All key workers in these industries would be asked to test themselves every work day.

The prime minister said measures such as tests for key workers would help the country “find a way to live with this virus”, despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.