The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, said there were indications that the country had entered the second wave of infections.
Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha, who gave the indication, lamented the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months, but also losing precious lives of citizens.
The PTF’s concerns were being expressed ahead of next week’s submission of its end of term report to the President on Dec. 22, 2020.
Speaking at the national briefing on Thursday, the PTF chairman, who was represented by the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said: “the events and statistics of the last two weeks, within and outside Nigeria, have been very mixed.
“On the one hand, the cheering news of the COVID-19 vaccine, while on the other hand, we have witnessed spikes in the number of infections at home and abroad.
“The real threat is upon humanity and the progress made in the global health sector in the last five decades or more.
“In Nigeria, the indication is that we have entered the second wave of infections and we stand the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months but also losing the precious lives of our citizens.
“The PTF believes that if we do the right things, adhere to the NPIs and step up our testing and detection, loss of lives will be minimised and the rising curve will begin to flatten”, the chairman said.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Thursday night posted 1,145 COVID-19 cases, its highest daily record till date, according to data published by the NCDC.
Two states, Lagos and Kaduna and the capital Abuja accounted for 64 percent of the monster cases.
Lagos recorded 459 cases, its highest daily since February, when the pandemic touched Nigeria, with the arrival of an Italian.
Abuja followed with 145 cases and Kaduna 138.
Plateau, where Governor Simon Lalong reported today that he tested positive to the virus, registered 80 cases.
Katsina reported 70 and Gombe 52.
Governor of Niger state, Abubakar Sani Bello, whose state logged 31 cases has ordered government workers to stay at home until further notice..
In all, a record 24 states confirmed new infections, as the second wave of the COVID-19 appears to be exploding in Nigeria.
The NCDC reported just one death in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1201.
“Till date, 76,207 cases have been confirmed, 67,110 cases have been discharged in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory”, the NCDC stated.
The data released also indicated there are now 7,896 actives cases, after 864,104 samples tested as at Thursday 17 December.
At a briefing in Abuja on Thursday, NCDC Director-general, Chikwe Ihekweazu, warned Nigerians to observe the COVID-19 protocols as they prepare for Christmas and New Year.
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He urged traditional and religious leaders to ensure public compliance with the measures.
“As you celebrate, you should #TakeResponsibility by adhering to recommended safety measures,” he advised.
Here is a breakdown of the new cases:
Lagos-459
FCT-145
Kaduna-138
Plateau-80
Katsina-70
Gombe-52
Niger-31
Kano-23
Bayelsa-21
Bauchi-18
Ondo-18
Rivers-17
Ogun-12
Oyo-12
Edo-8
Nasarawa-8
Ebonyi-7
Osun-6
Ekiti-5
Kebbi-5
Borno-4
Jigawa-3
Akwa Ibom-2
Anambra-1