Daily COVID Tracker: Nigeria reports 158 infections in 11 states — and one fatality

Nigeria on Monday recorded 158 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Tuesday. 

COVID exposed ‘underbelly’ of Nigeria’s health system, says Gbaja

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, says the COVID-19 pandemic has “exposed the underbelly” of the country’s health institutions.

Gbajabiamila spoke on Monday at a training organised for health workers in Plateau state.

He said the ninth assembly has made “unprecedented interventions” in the health sector, adding that the legislature will continue to support health institutions.

“We’re all aware that in Nigeria, we have health problems. Problem with our infrastructure, problems with our health personnel and so many other things,” he said.

“But in the last couple of years, the COVID pandemic exposed the underbelly of our health institutions. It was that COVID experience, I believe, that triggered a lot of interventions that the house of representatives and my office have made in the health sector.

“It may not be enough, but we’re going to continue. We’re trying to tighten some of our laws. I make bold to say that we’ve been very supportive of the health workers.”

COVID: South Africa scraps isolation for asymptomatic people

South Africa has scrapped isolation for people who test positive for COVID-19 without symptoms.

The country also reduced the isolation period for people who test positive for COVID from 10 days to seven days.

“The rationale for these amendments is informed by the proportion of people with immunity to COVID-19 which has risen substantially, exceeding 60-80% in several sero-surveys” Mondli Gungubele, minister in the presidency, said in a statement.

“The information gathered through the system used by the Department of Health has reported that South Africa has exited the fourth wave nationally.”

Nigeria logs 158 COVID cases 

Nigeria has recorded 158 new cases of COVID-19.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in its update for January 30, 2021, said the infections were logged in 10 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

Below is a list of the new cases:

Anambra-82
Lagos-35
Akwa Ibom-13
Cross River-7
Kwara-6
FCT-5
Gombe-3
Kaduna-3
Bayelsa-2
Kano-1
Nasarawa-1

The NCDC said 296 persons were discharged after recovering from the infection, while one person died of COVID complications.

The agency said Monday’s report include 82 cases in Anambra on January 14 to 30.

It also said the report includes 35 infections in Lagos on January 30, 13 cases and 68 recoveries in Akwa Ibom on January 24 to 30 and 82 recoveries in Anambra on January 14 to 30.

Nigeria now has a total of 253,181 cases, 229,315 recoveries and 3,136 deaths logged in the 36 states and the FCT.

England plans to end mandatory COVID vaccination for health workers

The United Kingdom says it is considering revoking mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for health workers.

Sajid Javid, health minister, said the government would hold consultations to determine if the policy put in place last November was still needed.

“While vaccination remains our very best line of defence against COVID-19 I believe that it is no longer proportionate to require vaccination as a condition of deployment through statute,” Javid said.

Iran parliament suspends sessions as 47 lawmakers test positive for COVID 

Iran’s parliament has temporarily suspended its sittings over an outbreak of COVID-19 among lawmakers.

Nezam Mousavi, a senior lawmaker, made the announcement on Monday.

Mousavi said at least 47 members of the 290-member parliament have tested positive for the virus.