Nigeria’s Daily COVID-19 Cases Rise By Over 220% To 1,149

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has announced 1,149 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday.

This figure represents a 222 percent increase in cases of daily infection, from 357 recorded the previous day.

Just like other parts of the world,
Nigeria, since the detection of the COVID-19 Delta variant, has continued to see increase in the number of infections.

Recall that the World Health Organisation had declared the COVID-19 Delta variant a variant of concern, due to its ability to spread quickly.

As contained in the NCDC data released on Thursday, Nigeria has so far recorded 184,593 confirmed cases with 167,738 discharged.

The country recorded 7 deaths, bringing the total death toll to 2,236.

The NCDC noted that States nationwide were struggling to curb the spread of the Delta variant, with the situation becoming alarming particularly in Lagos, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers , Oyo states and the FCT, where the strain was accounting for a large number of the cases.

According to the report, Lagos state topped the list with 680 infections, closely followed by Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Edo, FCT, Ogun with 157, 94, 56, 36, 34 and 31 confirmed cases respectively.

Others were Ekiti state -20, Delta-16, Abia-5, Nasarawa-5, Osun-5, Cross River-4, Plateau-3, Sokoto-2, Kano-1.

The surge resulted in the federal government calling on citizens to take responsibility and adhere to preventive measures in the country, especially as the caseload keeps rising on the heels of the ongoing doctors strike.

Resident Doctors had embarked on an indefinite strike on the 2nd of August to protest the lack of readiness of the government to meet the demand of the Association.

The demands of the Association include payment of outstanding doctors’ salaries and hazard allowances, enrolment of doctors into the integrated personal payroll information systems, amongst others.

It had also decried that only four percent of the total budget is being allocated to the health sector, while over 20 percent are spent salaries for public servants.