By Abujah Racheal
Abuja, April 21, 2020
This is as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 38 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the last 24 hours, bringing total number of confirmed cases to 665.
The NCDC made this known on Monday night in the latest report posted on its verified twitter handle.
According to it, three new states- Gombe, Sokoto and Abia have joined states with reported cases of the virus, as the number of states with confirmed cases now reached 25.
The agency stated that of the 38 new cases from eight states, 23 were reported in Kano; five in Gombe; three in Kaduna; two in Borno, two also in Abia, while one each was recorded in FCT, Sokoto and Ekiti.
“As at 11:10p.m April 20, there are 665 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the country, while 188 were treated and have been discharged, 22 deaths have been recorded.
“As of April 20, 11:10p.m, the active cases are 455 and majority of the active cases were in a stable condition,” it said.
The breakdown of cases by states were Lagos-376, FCT-89, Kano-59, Osun-20, Oyo-16, Edo-15, Ogun-12, Kwara-9, Katsina-12, Bauchi-7, Kaduna-9, AkwaIbom-9, Delta-4, Ekiti-4, Ondo-3, Enugu-2, Rivers-2, Niger-2, Benue-1, Anambra-1, Borno-3, Jigawa-2, Abia-2, Gombe-5 and Sokoto-1.
The agency said it would continue to respond to the pandemic across the country, adding it has prioritised the distribution of Viral Transport Medium (VTM) to all the states and FCT for sample collection.
NCDC said that it had deployed COVID-19 starter packs to all the tertiary health institutions and Federal Medical Centres.
It has also set up expanded laboratory network for COVID-19 across the six geopolitical zones with 13 laboratories activated (NRL, DRL, IDH, LUTH, NIMR, ACEGID, UCH, ISTH, FETHA, AKTH and NVRI, DNA and UMTH.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, NCDC Director-General, had warned Nigerians against the washing of surgical masks for reuse.
Ihekweazu noted that such behaviour posed a risk for the spread of virus.
He advised Nigerians that the surgical masks should be disposed of in a waste bin after use.
He, however, advised Nigerians to use only those from the original packaging after washing their hands.
In its COVID-19 situation report dated, April 19, and made available the NCDC on Monday said it had tested 7,153 total samples collected as at April 20 for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
It stated that most affected aged groups were 31 – 40, making up 21 per cent of the total number of confirmed cases.
The agency said that the data shows that of the confirmed cases, 70 per cent were males and 30 per cent were females.
The NCDC noted that the total number of passengers of interest were 9, 209, where 9,058 (98 per cent) have completed follow up in the country.
According to it, in terms of source of cases, 210 have travel history, 129 were contacts of confirmed cases, and 235 infected, but with unknown source.
It said 84 cases still have incomplete epidemiological information.
In Umuahia, the Abia government formally announced two confirmed cases of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Chief Okiyi Kalu, announced this on Monday in a statement he made available to newsmen, entitled “COVID-19 Update: We have two confirmed cases in Abia.”
According to Kalu, the two patients, whose names were not disclosed, hail from Ukwa and Umuahia North Local Government Areas of the state.
He stated: “We have received the report of two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Abia this evening from NCDC.
“Both patients are advanced in age but currently stable at an isolation center in our state.”
He said that government had deployed ventilators to the isolation center “in readiness for their use, if eventually required to nurse them back to good health.
“Our well-trained medical personnel are offering all necessary support and we hope and pray the patients survive this ailment.
“Contact tracing has commenced in earnest and our rapid response team is currently moving to bring in those who may have had contact with the two index cases,” he added.
The commissioner further stated that the result of the third sample from one “Prosper Vincent”, returned negative, adding that he would promptly be released from isolation.
Kalu advised residents “not to panic but continue to observe all the guidelines issued by NCDC and the state inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19.
“Stay at home unless there is a compelling need to go out either to buy drugs or food. Do so with your face masks on.
“Wash your hands regularly with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds or use original hand sanitizers to clean them.
“Observe social distancing and also avoid crowds. Do not open any market to trade and, please, stop using public transport until further notice.”
The commissioner feared that “because of the age of the patients, we are looking at a possible community transmission.”
Government therefore strongly advised all those who might have come in contact with the two individuals to immediately call the emergency number: 0700 2242 362.
News Agency of (NAN) reports that the state government introduced lockdown since April 1 to date as part of its determination to prevent the entry of the virus into the state.
