Daily COVID Tracker: NCDC records 49 infections — but zero deaths

Nigeria on Thursday recorded 49 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Friday. 

Japan approves Moderna, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines

The Japanese government has approved the Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID vaccines for use.

The government authorised the use of the vaccines on Friday to boost its vaccination campaign.

The approval brings to three the number of vaccines that have received approval from the Japanese government — it had approved the Pfizer vaccine in February.

However, the ministry of health, labour and welfare said the AstraZeneca vaccine will not be used immediately amid concerns over rare cases of blood clots.

EU vaccine passports to take effect from July 1

The European Union (EU) COVID-19 vaccine certificate is expected to take effect from July 1.

Juan Lopez Aguilar, chair of the European parliament civil liberties committee, disclosed this during a press conference on Thursday.

He said the certificate will create a “new legal safeguard” for citizens in member countries.

“It’s going to be called EU Digital COVID Certificate, a unified certificate,” Aguilar said.

“It’s a better alternative than the absence of this certificate, which will create a new legal safeguard, which we hope will provide an incentive to trust, not just between member states, but also in citizens over the possibility of starting to enjoy the free circulation this summer, as the vaccination process advances.”

J&J continues to investigate the need, timing for booster dose 

Johnson & Johnson says it will continue to investigate a potential booster for its COVID-19 vaccine, to ensure “long-term, durable protection against COVID-19”.

The drugmaker in a statement on Thursday, said there is ongoing and planned trials that will aid assessment, need and timing of its booster doses.

“Janssen is pleased to be contributing to the COV-Boost clinical trial, the first study to provide vital data on the use of different vaccines as a booster to further protect against COVID-19 and the new variants of concern,” it said.

Nigeria records 49 COVID infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday recorded 49 cases of COVID-19 in six states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

Lagos topped the chart of infections with 21 cases, followed by Rivers with 16 infections.

Others are FCT (5) Kano (3) Akwa Ibom (2) Ebonyi (1) and Ekiti (1).

No COVID fatality was reported on Thursday leaving the country’s death toll at 2,067.

Data from the agency shows that three persons were discharged on Thursday.

So far 165,901 cases have been confirmed in Nigeria with 156,459 recoveries.

South Korea approves Moderna COVID vaccine

South Korea on Friday approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, according to Kim Gang-lip, drug safety minister.

The authorisation comes after three expert panels recommended that approval be granted to the vaccine.

Moderna is the fourth COVID vaccine to be authorised in South Korea — AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson were earlier approved by the government.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA