Daily COVID Tracker: Infections hit six-week high amid detection of Delta variant in Nigeria

Nigeria on Friday recorded 186 COVID infections — the highest in six weeks — amid the detection of Delta variant in the country. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Saturday. 

Senegal to build COVID vaccine plant

Senegal is set to establish a new plant to manufacture COVID vaccines before the end of 2021.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

The facility would help reduce importation of the COVID vaccine to African countries.

“With today’s agreement, Team Europe is helping Senegal move one important step closer to producing its own vaccines and protecting Africans from COVID-19 and other diseases,” Leyen said.

Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), a biomedical research centre in Dakar, will run the centre with support from European development partners.

Mayor of Johannesburg dies of COVID

Geoff Makhubo, the mayor of Johannesburg, South Africa, has died after contracting COVID-19.

Mlimandlela Ndamase, the spokesman of the city, said Makhubo was hospitalised after testing positive for the infection in June.

He said the mayor later succumbed to the infection.

South Africa is battling a third wave of infections and the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

Nigeria records 186 infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 186 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria amid the detection of the Delta variant in the country.

This is the highest figure since May 31 when the country recorded 203 cases.

According to the agency’s update for July 9, the new cases were reported in three states.

The states that reported new infections are Lagos (175), Rivers (8), and Gombe (3).

No deaths were recorded on Friday, leaving the number of fatalities to 2,122.

Meanwhile, 8 persons were discharged after recovering from the virus.

Since the index cases in February 2020, 168,442 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed with 164,423 recoveries across the country.

Zambia shuts 45 facilities for violating COVID regulations

Zambia has shut 45 facilities including nightclubs, casinos and bars for violating COVID-19 protocol.

Kennedy Malama, permanent secretary in charge of technical services at the ministry of health, said the 45 facilities were shut out of the 648 premises inspected.

“We reiterate that all those flouting the directives are putting people’s lives at risk and we will continue closing them followed by prosecution,” he said.

South Korea imposes new COVID restriction in Seoul

Kim Boo Kyum, South Korean prime minister, has imposed new COVID restrictions in Seoul, the country’s capital and its surrounding region.

Kyum said the restriction will take effect from July 12 and is expected to curtail the rise in coronavirus infections.

“The highest level of the government’s new four-stage plan for restrictions would take effect for the greater Seoul area,” Kyum said.

“A complete lockdown is not envisaged under this plan, the order would initially apply for a period of two weeks. Private gatherings are to be limited to a maximum of four people before 6pm and two people after that”.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA