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  • COVID-19 kills 3 Nigerians , 353 persons discharged

    COVID-19 kills 3 Nigerians , 353 persons discharged

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has discharged 353 people after being treated from various isolation centers across the country, bringing the total number of discharged cases to 145,752.

    The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Monday.

    The country has also tested 1,684,305 people since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 pandemic was announced on Feb.27, 2020.

    The public health agency said some of the discharged included 120 community recoveries registered in Lagos State and 34 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), managed in line with its guidelines.

    It also announced 238 new COVID-19 cases, which brought the total number of infections in the country to 160,895.

    NCDC sadly reported three COVID-19 additional deaths on Monday, which raised the total fatality in the country to 2016.

    It stated that the new infections were recorded in 16 states and the FCT.

    The agency said that Lagos recorded 72 new cases, Kwara 28, Bauchi 19, Kaduna 19, Edo 17, Ogun 15, Nasarawa 13, Rivers 10, FCT- nine and Ondo- eight.

    Others include Akwa Ibom – five, Gombe – five, Niger- five, Osun – five, Plateau – four, Oyo – three and Kano- one .

    The Nigeria’s Public Health institute stated that the country’s active cases dropped by 118, and currently stood at 13,127 in the last 24 hours.

    The agency said that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate the national response activities in the country.

    However, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa is 4,025,390 and the death toll from the pandemic stands at 107,523.

    The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) confirmed the development and informed that nine African countries reported over 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

    It stated that South Africa had so far reported over 500,000 confirmed cases at 1,528,414.

    Eight African countries, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, and Kenya, have reported between 100,001 cases and 500,000 cases.

    The agency said 23 countries had reported between 10,001 cases and 100,000 cases, while 22 other AU members reported fewer than 10,000 cases.

    According to the Africa CDC, Southern Africa is the most affected region in terms of confirmed cases, followed by Northern Africa and Eastern African regions.

    It said that Central Africa was the least affected African region in terms of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

  • COVID-19: NCDC records 1,368 new infections, 16 deaths as at February 16

    COVID-19: NCDC records 1,368 new infections, 16 deaths as at February 16

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,368 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 148,296.

    The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Tuesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new infections registered today doubled the 574 cases reported as at Feb. 15.

    The Agency also registered an additional 16 COVID-19 deaths, raising the total fatality in the country to 1,777 in the last 24 hours.

    It stated that the 1,368 new infections were reported from 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The NCDC stated that Anambra State registered the highest infections for the first time since the pandemic broke out in February 2020, in the country.

    It noted that of the 1,368 new cases, Anambra posted 344 cases, in spite of not recording any case the previous day, followed by Oyo state which also witnessed a rise in infections after recording 172 cases and the FCT in third position confirmed 148 infections.

    The agency noted that 107 of the virus were found in Benue state, Rivers had 95, Ogun-59, Ondo-56, Ebonyi-53. Kaduna-52, Plateau-46, Kwara-36 and Enugu-30.

    Other states with registered cases were Akwa Ibom-26, Osun-22, Edo-20, Abia-17, Kano-16, Borno-15, Cross River-10, Delta-8, Gombe-8, Imo-7, Ekiti-5, Sokoto-4, Jigawa-3, Bayelsa-3, Nasarawa-3 and Zamfara-3.

    The public health agency stated that at least 1,474 people had recovered and been discharged from isolation centres across the country in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of people who had been discharged after recovery to 124,483.

    It noted that the discharged recorded on Tuesday included 762 community recoveries in Anambra State, 132 in Plateau State and 126 in FCT.

    The NCDC stated that this included data reported from Enugu State over the last two days and a backlog of deaths reported from Abia State.

    It said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, is coordinating response activities nationwide.

    The Nigeria’s public health institute said that there were now 22,036 active cases across the country in the last 24 hours.

    NAN recalls that the country has tested 1,441,013 people since the first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic was announced on Feb. 27, 2020. (

  • COVID-19: Oyo records 58 new cases

    COVID-19: Oyo records 58 new cases

    Oyo State on Thursday recorded 58 new coronavirus cases, and the latest figure has brought the total COVID-19 cases in the state to 6,074, while a total number of 1,809 patients are currently being treated for the novel coronavirus in the state.

    According to data on NCDC’s microsite, the COVID-19 death toll in the state has reached 93.

    The NCDC in its daily update on Thursday morning also said that the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the country had reached 142,578, following 1,131 new Coronavirus infections.

  • COVID-19: Defiant Yahaya Bello threatens to sue Buhari’s PTF, NCDC for de-marketing Kogi, scaring away investors

    COVID-19: Defiant Yahaya Bello threatens to sue Buhari’s PTF, NCDC for de-marketing Kogi, scaring away investors

    The Kogi State Government has threatened to sue the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Presidential Task Force, PTF on COVID-19 for declaring the state high risk COVID-19 state.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had on Monday declared Kogi a high-risk state for refusing to acknowledge the existence of the disease.

    The PTF also said that the Kogi government had failed to report testing, lacked isolation centers and therefore warned Nigerians to be weary of visiting the state.

    TNG reports that the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has not hidden his disbelieve in the pandemic since in broke out in Nigeria. The governor recently in a viral video said COVID-19 vaccine is a killer.

    However, in a swift reaction, Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi Commissioner for Information and Communication declared the intention of the state government to sue PTF-COVID-19 in Lokoja on Wednesday over what he described as an attempt to de-market the state and inflict the citizens with fear.

    The State Government accused PTF-COVID-19 of failing in an earlier effort to import Covid-19 into Kogi and as such, has now resorted into creating panic.

    Fanwo said the claim by NCDC and the Task Force was directed at de-marketing the state by scaring investors away and ultimately, crippling Kogi economy.

    “We very much believe their intent was to ensure in­vestors are scared from com­ing to the state. Despite their unreliable figures, Kogi emerged the in­vestment destination of Nigeria in the last quarter of 2020.

    “They felt embarrassed and the best way to hit back is to create a picture of health crisis in the state.”

    On efforts being made by the state government to fight the disease, Fanwo claimed Kogi was the first to procure thousands of face masks which it distributed free of charge to residents of the state.

    He also claimed Kogi State had done more sensitisation on the disease than other states in the country.

    “We were the first state to procure face masks in thou­sands and distribute to all the LGAs. We were the first state to set up a Squadron Team to combat the spread of the pandemic. We set up isolation centres with state-of-the-art equipment.

  • NCC activates short code for verified COVID-19 info from NCDC

    NCC activates short code for verified COVID-19 info from NCDC

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with support from the Nigerian Communications
    Commission (NCC) have activated a short code – “6232” for verified information.

    The number is being introduced as a means for the public to contact NCDC’s Connect Centre and access verified information on COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

    Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of NCDC on Wednesday in Abuja, said the short code was a toll free and easy-to-remember number.

    According to him, this means that all calls to NCDC through “6232” are free of charge.

    “This is to ensure that Nigerians have access to verified information on infectious diseases.

    “In 2016, NCDC established its Connect Centre as a critical aspect of its event-based surveillance and risk communications strategy.

    “Over the years, this has been used for the response to infectious disease outbreaks such as Lassa fever, monkeypox, yellow fever, cerebrospinal meningitis, among others.

    “Following the confirmation of Nigeria’s first COVID-19 case in February 2020, NCDC immediately expanded its Connect Centre capacity to meet the increasing
    need for information by Nigerians.

    “This was done in close collaboration with relevant government institutions and with support from our partners,” he explained.

    Ihekweazu said that the call lines were expanded to receive multiple calls simultaneously, automated chatbots were activated to disseminate information in real-time,
    additional human resource and volunteers were engaged, and a new quality assurance system was introduced.

    According to him, between March and December 2020, the NCDC Connect Centre received over 580,000 COVID-19-related phone calls.

    He explained that “the short code number ‘6232’ will be used alongside the existing toll-free number – ‘0800 9700 0010’, with a gradual phase-out of the existing toll free number.”

    The NCDC boss thanked the NCC and its partners at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, GAVI, UNICEF, University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB),
    Georgetown University, Resolve to Save Lives and Interra Networks for their support.

    “Additionally, we recognise and thank mobile network providers in Nigeria – Globacom, MTN, Airtel, 9mobile – who continued to support our efforts in communicating
    with Nigerians,” he noted.

    Ihekweazu said that the centre remained strongly committed to working with relevant government institutions and partners to protect the health of Nigerians.

    He, however, urged Nigerians to use the short code responsibly in accessing verified information on COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

    He said it was very important that Nigerians continue to adhere to public health and safety measures, including regular hand washing, physical distancing
    and proper use of face mask.

  • Panic, fear as four Nigerians test positive for highly contagious, deadly UK COVID-19 strain

    Panic, fear as four Nigerians test positive for highly contagious, deadly UK COVID-19 strain

    Nigerians yesterday were struck with palpable panic and fear as the highly contagious and deadly new British strain of the Covid-19 virus was diagnosed in four people. This has further complicated the already worrisome pandemic whose second wave of infection is currently ravaging the country.

    The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, yesterday disclosed that four Nigerians had tested positive for the highly contagious United Kingdom (UK) COVID-19 strain.

    Ihekweazu, who disclosed this at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in Abuja, stated that those that tested positive included three Nigerians who had travelled out of the country, while one was in-country, adding that it was not surprising to find the new strain in the country given the frequency of travel between the UK and Nigeria.

    “In the last week, we have had three reports of the UK variant of interest, the B117 strain found in individuals that have left Nigeria to two other countries.

    “When they were tested, this strain was found in them within a week of returning to Nigeria. This was reported to us through the international health regulations and it is most likely this strain was acquired in Nigeria.

    “With our partners, the African Centre for Excellence in Genomics in Ede, we sent 50 samples to them and one of those samples had the UK variant linked to increased transmission,” he explained.

    Ihekweazu said that the agency would keep intensifying its genomics surveillance and genomics sequencing, in collaboration with its partners, as shutting down international travel would not achieve much, so long as the virus was still ravaging in other countries.

    He disclosed that the NCDC had rolled out rapid diagnostic test kits, which were used at the National Youth Service Orientation camps, adding that 22,119 individuals had been tested, with 765 confirmed cases, using the RTDs in every state, except Kogi.

    Meanwhile, Ihekweazu has denied reports that the NCDC was making money from the private laboratories engaged in COVID-19 testing.

  • COVID-19: NCDC records 1,617 new infections, 14 more deaths in Nigeria

    COVID-19: NCDC records 1,617 new infections, 14 more deaths in Nigeria

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recorded 1,617 new cases of the CoronaVirus Disease (COVID-19) in the country.

    The NCDC disclosed this on its official website on Monday as the country so far has tested 1,172,234 people since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was recorded on Feb. 27, 2020.

    The public health Institute also reported an additional 14 deaths, bringing the total number of casualties from the virus to 1,449.

    It said that till date, the country had recorded 112,004 COVID-19 infections with 89,939 cases successfully treated and discharged in the country.

    The NCDC said that the 1,617 new cases were reported from 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the last 24 hours.

    The agency said that almost 50 per cent of the new cases recorded on Monday were from Lagos, with 776 infections.

    Other states with new cases were Kaduna-147, Kwara-131, FCT-102, Plateau-78, Edo-59, Ogun-53, Osun-45, Rivers-37, Taraba-36 Nasarawa-34, Adamawa-33, Kano-26, Delta-20, Ebonyi-16, Bayelsa-11, Gombe-11, and Borno-2.

    NCDC said that 622 more patients were discharged after testing negative to coronavirus across the country in the last 24 hours.

    The health agency said that those discharged included 289 community recoveries in Lagos State managed in line with the extant guidelines.

    It said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, was coordinating response activities nationwide.

    Recall that the country has witnessed a surge in new cases since the Federal Government announced a second wave of the pandemic in December 2020.

    The snapshot of the country as at Jan. 17, was Cases: 110,387, Active Cases: 22,156 20.34 per cent, Discharged: 89,317 78.36 per cent, Fatalities: 1,435 1.30 per cent and Tests: 1,172,234, all spread across the 36 States and the FCT.

    In week two of 2021, the statistics revealed the following:Cases: 10,300, Deaths: 77 and Active Cases 19,635.

    All these numbers represented increases compared with the numbers from week one, 2021.

    Also one in every five people tested in the country within the passing week turned out positive.

    In spite of the surge, schools reopened in most states across the country under the Federal Government’s directive,

    While critics have faulted the re-opening, the government says return to the classrooms should be done in line with COVID-19 regulations such as social distancing and wearing of face-masks.

  • What you should know between COVID-19 and malaria – Ministry of Health

    What you should know between COVID-19 and malaria – Ministry of Health

    The Federal Ministry of Health has distinguished between the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and malaria, saying they are two different diseases.

    According to the Ministry, although COVID19 and malaria share similar symptoms like fever, headache and fatigue, they must not be mistaken for the same disease.

    “COVID19 and malaria are two different diseases that share similar symptoms like fever, headache and fatigue. It takes 2-14 days for COVID19 symptoms to appear, while that of malaria appears within 10-15 days.

    “COVID-19 is not malaria. Though COVID-19 presents with symptoms similar to malaria, for example, fever, both diseases are caused by different organisms and differ in mode of transmission,” the Ministry emphasized.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday reported 1,598 new cases of COVID-19 with seven deaths.

    The NCDC, on its official Twitter handle, said the total infections in the country is now 108,943 with 22,156 active cases and 1,420 fatalities.

    The country has so far tested 1,147, 523 people since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Feb. 27, 2020.

    The Nigeria’s public health institute said that the new infections were reported from 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    It stated that Lagos state topped the list with 461 infections, FCT 206, Plateau 197, Rivers 167, Kaduna state-116, Anambra-53, Ogun-49, Ebonyi-47, Edo-42, Sokoto state-32 and Imo-31 cases.

    Katsina state-31, Oyo state-30, Akwa Ibom-27, Delta-16, Kano state-16, Abia-15, Niger-15, Ondo-11, Bayelsa-10, Borno-9, Kebbi-8, Ekiti-7 and Jigawa-1 cases.

    The agency further disclosed that 832 patients recovered and had been discharged from various isolation centres across the country.

    It added that this indicated 85,367 recoveries from the total 108,943 infections.

    According to it, discharges for Saturday includes 430 community recoveries in Lagos State managed in line with guidelines.

    Recall that there is a drop in infections compared with Friday’s 1,867 cases, which is the highest so far in a single day.

    Lagos state also recorded substantial drop in cases with 461 new infections far lesser than 713 cases reported on Friday.

    The FCT’s 206 new cases represents a slight increase compared to the 199 cases on Friday.

    Plateau state recorded a drop in infections with 197 cases against its Friday’s 273.

  • COVID-19: Virus now spreading fast with mild symptoms, NCDC warns Nigerians

    COVID-19: Virus now spreading fast with mild symptoms, NCDC warns Nigerians

    The Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, has warned that the Coronavirus pandemic is spreading fast, causing mild symptoms in some victims and severe illnesses and death in others.

    Ihekweazu disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

    He said that many victims have continued to experience fatigue and other symptoms even after recovery.

    According to him, in the last four weeks, the country has recorded a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

    “We have now reported over 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria and this is a stark reminder of the reality we live in now.

    “A virus that has affected over 100,000 lives and led to over 1,300 deaths within 11 months in Nigeria, with millions more globally.

    “We cannot be too careful. The silent face of COVID-19 with which you cannot tell whether someone has the virus or not, the only option before us is to take protective measures at all times,“ he said.

    Meanwhile, Ihekweazu said that healthcare workers needed now to maintain a higher index of suspicion for COVID-19, noting that “if people were unwell, they should first rule out COVID-19 before treating malaria’’.

    “We are rolling out the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits (RDTs) in five institutions in Abuja. This will increase access to testing and we then intend to roll out across the country in February.

    “This will make testing a lot more available to hospitals,“ he said.

    The NCDC boss pointed out that there was no state that was spared of COVID-19.

    “We would have been surprised if there were, as our data suggest that we were right in saying that there is COVID circulating in every state of Nigeria and we all have to continue the hard work we have been doing,” he pointed out.

    The NCDC boss said that the country had reached “a critical level“ where the hospital capacity would no longer be able to cope with more serious COVID-19 cases and health workers would be forced to make tough decisions.

    “We need to protect our more vulnerable citizens, while we all have to take responsibility because this has gone beyond the NCDC, PTF or government, as all hands must be on deck.

    “By organising large gatherings indoors, you are not only putting yourself and guests at risk but also the staff who have limited choice but to serve.

    “By going to clubs, you are putting your parents at risk,“ he said.

    Speaking on COVID-19 fatigue, he said that while Nigerians might all be tired and fed up, the virus was taking advantage of the fatigue and gaining momentum.

    “By adhering to health measures, wearing masks, washing hands, observing physical distancing, staying at home, avoiding large gatherings and poorly ventilated indoor space, we can prevent its spread.

    “Most important of all, the 100,000 cases and over 1,000 deaths are not just numbers, but these are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, friends whose deaths will be mourned and the pain of their loss deeply felt,“ he pointed out.

  • FG announces distribution plan for COVID-19 vaccine

    FG announces distribution plan for COVID-19 vaccine

    The federal government has announced a distribution plan for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine in the country.

    The announcement was made through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

    According to NPHCDA, the rate of infection in each State of the federation would be the criterion used in the distribution.

    The agency revealed the plan alongside the publication of the latest infection rates for the disease by the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) on its verified website on Saturday.

    NCDC said it recorded 1, 585 new infections of the deadly Coronavirus with additional eight coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours.

    The centre stated that the country’s COVID-19 infections increased from 97,478 on Jan.8 to 99,063 on Saturday, indicating 1,585 new infections, and with eight additional COVID-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours.

    Based on the rate of infection in the States, the distribution list of the COVID-19 vaccine indicated that Kano State will receive 3,557; Lagos, 3,131; Katsina, 2,361; Kaduna, 2,074; Bauchi, 1,900; Oyo, 1,848; Rivers, 1,766; Jigawa, 1,712; Niger, 1,558; Ogun, 1,473; Sokoto, 1,468; Benue, 1,423; Borno, 1,416; Anambra, 1,379; Zamfara, 1,336; and Delta, 1,306.

    Others were: Kebbi, 1,268; Imo, 1,267; Ondo, 1,228; Akwa Ibom, 1,161.Adamawa, 1,129; Edo, 1,104; Plateau, 1,089; Enugu, 1,088; Osun, 1,032; Kogi, 1,030; Cross River, 1,023; Abia, 955; Gombe, 908; Yobe, 842; Ekiti, 830; Taraba, 830; Kwara, 815; Ebonyi, 747; Bayelsa, 589; FCT, 695; Nasarawa, 661.

    The NPHCDA said that though all of the states were getting less than 4,000 vaccines from the first batch, the federal government had advised that frontline workers, like those in the health and security sectors, be given priority, as well as the elderly.

    The agency said that the vaccine, expected to be administered in January and February, would be done in compliance with WHO standards.

    The government was targeting administering the vaccine on 40 per cent of Nigerians during the first batch this year, the agency said, pointing out that 30 per cent were expected to be done in 2022.

    The agency also said the federal government was also sourcing for vaccines from other countries like Russia.

    Meanwhile, NCDC’s data had indicated that a total of 865 patients had recovered and were discharged from various isolation centres in the country.

    “Our discharges today include 419 community recoveries in Lagos State, 123 community recoveries in Gombe State and 117 community recoveries in Plateau State managed in line with guidelines,” It said.

    NCDC said that the new infections it recorded on Saturday were reported from 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory. saying that Lagos State still recorded the highest figure of the day with 573 infections.

    Others were: FCT-182, Plateau-162, Gombe-81, Oyo-75, Rivers-68, Sokoto-58, Ondo-55, Ogun-42, Nasarawa-40, Akwa Ibom-36, Edo-31, Kaduna-27, Anambra-22, Delta-19, Kano-17, Osun-17, Ebonyi-16, Katsina-14, Niger-14, Bayelsa-nine, Ekiti-eight, Borno-seven Jigawa-five, Abia-four and Bauchi-three.

    The NCDC also revealed that it had conducted no fewer than 1,018,061 tests since the first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic was announced in the country, while a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate national response activities across the country.