Daily COVID Tracker: Infections surge as Nigeria records over 15,000 active cases

Nigeria currently has over 15,000 active COVID-19 infections amid surge in new cases and spread of the Delta variant. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Saturday. 

UK approves monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19

The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on Friday approved Ronapreve, the first monoclonal antibody treatment for the prevention and treatment of acute COVID-19 infection.

The drug regulator granted the approval after recommendation by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), and the government’s independent expert scientific advisory body.

According to a statement, the drug developed by Regeneron/Roche, is administered either by injection or infusion and acts at the lining of the respiratory system where it binds tightly to the coronavirus and prevents it from gaining access to the cells of the respiratory system.

Delta state partners World Bank on COVID management

The Delta state government has partnered with the World Bank in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, stated this when he inaugurated the state Project Steering Committee of the Nigeria COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (Co-PREP), in Asaba, the state capital.

Represented by Kingsley Otuaro, his deputy, the governor said the committee would oversee the implementation of Co-PREP projects in the state.

“This is World Bank assisted project meant to be implemented by the collaboration of the various states in the country and the NCDC to be able to access the grant made available by the World Bank,” Okowa said.

“This grant is only accessible on the condition that certain criteria are met and so the inauguration of the committee is an integral part of the requirements by the World Bank.”

Moderna mandates COVID vaccination for employees

Moderna says it will require COVID-19 vaccination for all its employees in the US from October.

The development comes days after a rival vaccine maker, Pfizer, mandated its US employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID or participate in weekly testing.

Moderna, however, said people will be exempted base on religious or medical considerations.

India approves emergency use for first DNA COVID vaccine

India has granted emergency use approval for the Zydus-D COVID-19 vaccine for adults and children aged 12 years and above.

The vaccine is said to be the world’s first DNA shot against the coronavirus.

The vaccine uses a section of genetic material from the virus that gives instructions as either DNA or RNA to make the specific protein that the immune system recognises and responds to.

The vaccine is administered in three doses and is different from most COVID-19 vaccines which are given as two doses or a single dose.

The approval makes it the sixth vaccine authorised for use in India.

Nigeria records 304 infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 304 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 12 states and the federal capital territory (LGA).

The agency confirmed the new cases in its update for August 20, 2021.

This means Nigeria currently has over 15,000 total active COVID infections

The states that recorded positive cases include Rivers (154), Ekiti (33), Edo (20) FCT (18), Oyo (17), Cross River (15), Delta (15), Akwa Ibom (13), Ogun (11), Bayelsa (4), Sokoto (2), Gombe (1) and Nasarawa (1).

The agency said 201 persons were discharged on Friday after recovering from the virus.

It also said 3 persons died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,247.

To date, 185,571 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed while 168,124 discharges have been made.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA