Daily COVID Tracker: Nigeria records 753 infections in 14 states — and five deaths

Nigeria recorded 753 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Friday. 

FG: N122bn spent to purchase 29 million doses of J&J COVID vaccine

The federal government says N122 billion was spent to procure 29 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Faisal Shuaib, executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), stated this on Thursday when the federal government took delivery of the first batch of 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The procurement of the doses was done through the African Vaccine Acquisition Team (AVAT) of the African Union Commission, through a facility provided by the AFREXIMBANK.

Shuaib said the procurement of the 29 million doses, which cost $298.5 million (over N122 billion), is to enable the country vaccinate 70 percent of the population.

US drug agency approves COVID vaccine booster for ‘certain people’

The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorised a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna for people with compromised immune systems.

Few other countries have started administering booster shots to people owing to the spike in infections as a result of new strains of COVID-19, including the highly infectious Delta variant.

But the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for a suspension of booster shots till the end of September to enable at least 10 percent of the population of every country to be vaccinated.

WHO asks governments to support studies into origins of COVID-19

WHO has asked all governments to support studies into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“WHO reiterates that the search for the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is not and should not be an exercise in attributing blame, finger-pointing or political point-scoring,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday.

FG says lockdown ‘not on the table’ despite surge in COVID infections

The federal government says it is not considering another lockdown as the country records a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, made this known on Thursday during the weekly state house press briefing.

Nigeria is currently battling the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic following the emergence of the Delta variant.

Speaking on the development, Ehanire said Nigeria has not reached a threat level that will warrant imposing a lockdown, adding that lockdown poses a great threat to business activities.

Nigeria records 753 infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 753 cases of COVID-19 across the country.

According to the agency’s update for August 12, the infections were recorded in 13 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

Lagos recorded the highest number of infections with 364 cases followed by Akwa Ibom with 141 and Oyo with 74.

Other states that reported cases include Rivers (46), Abia (38), Ogun (24), Kwara (20), FCT (12), Ekiti (10), Delta (9), Edo (6), Plateau (5), Imo (3), Bayelsa (1).

The NCDC data showed that 357 patients recovered from the infection on Thursday, while five persons died of COVID complications.

So far, Nigeria has confirmed 180,661 cases, 166,560 recoveries and 2,200 deaths across the country and the FCT.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA