Daily COVID Tracker: NCDC logs 513 infections in 20 states, over 400 recoveries

Nigeria on Tuesday recorded 513 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Wednesday. 

Lilly to supply 220,000 COVID antibody doses to European countries

Lilly says it has entered an agreement with the European Commission to supply up to 220,000 doses of its COVID-19 dual antibody cocktail to European countries.

The treatment — a combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab — is used for patients aged 12 years and above who are at a high risk of progressing to severe disease and those who do not require supplemental oxygen for COVID-19.

The participating countries can purchase the drug directly from Lilly.

DSS, ICPC to crack down on health workers selling fake COVID vaccination cards

The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) says some health workers are involved in the selling of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.

Faisal Shuaib, executive director of the NPHCDA, said those behind the “criminal behaviour” will be prosecuted after investigation.

Shuaib said the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are collaborating with the agency to investigate the issue.

He said: “There is zero tolerance to these types of activities. The DSS and ICPC are involved. Once these individuals who are involved in this vaccination racketeering are charged to court, then, of course, the public service rules will be followed and that will lead to potential suspension and firing of these health workers.”

J&J says second shot boosts protection against COVID to 94 percent

Johnson & Johnson says the second shot of its COVID vaccine administered about two months after the first dose increased its efficacy to 94 percent against moderate to severe forms of the virus.

The J&J single dose only offers 70 percent protection.

Paul Stoffels, J&J chief scientific officer, said the company has now “generated evidence that a booster shot further increases protection against COVID-19”.

Nigeria records 513 infections 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 513 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 19 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

The agency, in its update for September 21, 2021, said Lagos recorded the highest infections with 132 cases, followed by the FCT with 80 and Rivers with 70.

Other states that recorded new infections are Kaduna (43), Edo (40), Ondo (32), Delta (23), Akwa Ibom (21), Kwara (16), Gombe (12), Anambra (9), Benue (9), Kano (7), Oyo (6), Borno (3), Plateau (3), Bayelsa (2), Katsina (2), Ogun (2) and Jigawa (1).

The agency said 469 persons were discharged on Tuesday after recovering from the infection.

The NCDC data shows that three persons died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,664.

The agency said Tuesday’s report include a backlog of confirmed cases and recoveries in Kaduna.

So far, Nigeria has recorded 202,704 confirmed cases, while 191,370 recoveries have been made.

Okonjo-Iweala: Unequal access to COVID vaccines not acceptable

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), says the inequity in accessing COVID-19 vaccines is unacceptable.

Okonjo-Iweala spoke after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, in New York.

She expressed displeasure over the “lopsidedness” in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, saying even the vaccinated are unsafe where most of the population is not vaccinated.

“What we’re trying to say is that the inequity in access to vaccines is not acceptable. The fact that on the African continent, less than four percent of us have been vaccinated, whereas in the rich countries, you know, close to 50 percent have been vaccinated, is not something that really is good for the world,” she said.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA