Nigeria has recorded a total of 103 coronavirus-related deaths since the index case was reported in February.
This is according to the latest update by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC on Wednesday, which confirmed 195 new cases of COVID-19, taking the country’s total to 3, 145.
The new cases were recorded in 13 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to the NCDC, Lagos confirmed 82 cases; Kano-30; Zamfara-19; Sokoto-18, Borno-10, FCT-9 and Oyo-8.
Kebbi and Gombe recorded 5 cases each; Ogun-4, Katsina-3; one case each was confirmed in Kaduna and Adamawa.
“Till date, 3145 cases have been confirmed, 534 cases have been discharged and 103 deaths have been recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” the NCDC noted.
Cross Rivers and Kogi state are yet to record any case.
Nigeria has conducted 21, 208 COVID-19 laboratory tests.
Lagos remains the epicentre of the virus with 1,308 confirmed cases.
The Federal Government has said that the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country were not unexpected in view of prevailing circumstances in certain states.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said this on Wednesday in Abuja, at the 26th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
According to him, the nation is clearly in community transmission phase, where much now depends on individual, collective behaviour and the urgency of behaviour change communication becomes apparent.
“Knowledge so far gathered about COVID-19 needs to be converted into practice, because our safety, now more than ever, depends on all of us,” Ehanire said.
Meanwhile the FG has decried the continued violation of the new guidelines to check the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment warned against the backlash of violating guidelines like physical distancing, wearing of face masks in the public, among others.
Adebayo gave this warning at the weekly briefing of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) of the Committee on Sustainable Production and Delivery of Essential Commodities During COVID-19.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari in a nationwide broadcast while directing the easing of a five-week lockdown on Lagos, Ogun and the FCT, gave clear guidelines on the first phase of the new measures spanning May 4 to May 17, 2020.
Adebayo said the president implored all Nigerians to continue to adhere strictly to the advisories published by the Presidential Task Force and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“These include regular hand washing, strict use of face masks in public, maintaining physical distancing and hygiene, avoidance of non-essential movement and travels, avoidance of large gatherings, restrictions on social and religious gatherings,” he said.
