Daily COVID Tracker: Nigeria records 113 new infections, and WHO seeks vaccines for poor countries

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked wealthy countries to urgently share COVID-19 vaccines to help poor nations. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Saturday. 

Brazil records highest single-day COVID-19 deaths 

Brazil on Friday recorded 3,650 single-day COVID-19 deaths — its highest fatality figure since the pandemic began, according to the country’s ministry of health.

This is the second time Brazil is reporting over 3,000 deaths in a day.

According to John Hopkins University data, Brazil has recorded 12.3 million cases of COVID-19 while 303,462 people have died of the infection.

WHO concludes report on COVID-19 origins

WHO has concluded report on the origins of the novel coronavirus, according to CNN.

Peter Ben Embarek, the agency head of COVID-19 origin investigation, on Friday said a draft of the report is now finalised, and it is undergoing final checks with experts familiar with the content.

He said it was a “painful process” to edit and translate the 400-page report, adding that the content of the report is now complete.

The report is expected to be released to the public within a few days.

WHO seeks 10 million vaccines for poor nations

WHO has asked countries and companies globally to urgently share 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines with the United Nations-backed COVAX scheme to help poor nations.

Speaking with reporters on Friday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said COVAX need 10 million doses of vaccines to deliver to 20 countries within two weeks.

“At the beginning of the year, I issued a call for countries to work together to ensure that all countries started vaccinations within the first 100 days of the year,” he said.

Ghebreyesus said 15 days are left to make sure that the 36 countries that have yet to administer a single dose are able to start immunising at least their most at-risk populations.

He added that 16 out of the 36 nations are scheduled to receive vaccines within the next two weeks, but 20 countries are yet to be allocated any vaccines.

“COVAX [the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility] needs 10 million doses immediately as an urgent stopgap measure so these 20 countries can start vaccinating their health workers and older people within the next two weeks,” he said.

“COVAX is ready to deliver, but we can’t deliver vaccines we don’t have. Ten million doses are not much and it is not nearly enough, but it is a start.”

Nigeria records 113 fresh infections in 10 states

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says 113 fresh COVID-19 infections were recorded across nine states and the federal capital territory (FCT) on Friday.

The agency confirmed this in its update for March 26.

According to the NCDC, Lagos topped the list with 53 infections, followed by Rivers with 22 new cases, and Akwa Ibom with 12.

Other states that recorded new infections include Kaduna (12), Ondo (6), Osun (3), FCT (2), Jigawa(1), Nasarawa (1) and Kano (1).

The agency also said three persons died of the infection on Friday, bringing the number of fatalities to 2,039.

But it added that 104 persons recovered from the virus and were discharged.

To date, 162,388 cases have been confirmed; 149,986 patients have been discharged, and 2,039 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the FCT.

So far, there are 10,363 active cases in the country.

Germany lists France as “high risk” COVID-19 area

Germany on Friday declared France as a “high risk” area of COVID-19 infection, according to the country’s health institute.

The new designation means travellers from France will be required to observe a quarantine period on arrival to Germany and to have a negative test result that is less than 48 hours.

France has witnessed a spike in cases of COVID-19 infections amid fears of a third wave.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA