Garba Shehu: Media focusing on coronavirus… what about malaria?

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, has accused the media of paying more attention to coronavirus outbreak than malaria.

Coronavirus has made national and international headlines daily since the disease first broke out in China late 2019.

The first case in Nigeria was recorded on Friday in Lagos following the arrival of an Italian from Milan, Italy.

Shehu, in a Facebook post, asked when the media will bring to spotlight, the “daily 822 malaria deaths peculiar to Nigeria”.

“This morning’s newspapers, all of them have Coronavirus as the lead, cover story. When will they bring the spotlight to bear on 822 who are killed by malaria everyday in Nigeria?” Shehu asked.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has been grappling with the outbreak and spread of Lassa fever across 115 local governments in the country.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 118 people have died of Lassa fever since the beginning of 2020.

The NCDC gave the number of suspected cases to be 2,633, confirmed cases, 609 and nine probable cases.

The centre said the disease has spread to 27 of the 36 states of the federation.