Coronavirus: Nigeria records 195 new cases; PTF disburses N1bn to states

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 195 fresh new cases of the novel coronavirus in the country.

This was disclosed in a tweet on its official handle as the lastest figures.

According to the agency, the new cases were recorded in Lagos, the FCT and nine other states.

While Lagos reported 39 cases, the FCT recorded 15 fresh infections respectively.

Others include Enugu – 51, Gombe – 40, Plateau – 23, Rivers – 12, Kaduna –8, Ondo – 3, Bauchi – 2, Edo and Ogun each reporting 1 case.

On a positive note, the country has been able to manage 48,674 cases effectively since the initial outbreak of the virus on February 27, Channels TV said.

Unfortunately, over 1,000 persons have died from the virus.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has disbursed N1billion each to 32 states in the country amid the pandemic.

PTF Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu announced the disbursement of the sum today during a briefing in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“We have released money to the state governments recently, to 32 state governments. Each state government was given a billion naira.

“This is for the purpose of driving their COVID responses and we are asking them to prioritise testing in addition to surveillance activities linked to COVID-19,”  he said.

On his part, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, lamented the decline in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, according to Channels TV.

Ihekweazu, who briefed reporters earlier today in the nation’s capital, said the Federal Government observed a decline of 36 per cent in the infections recorded in August compared to those reported in July.

He, however, explained that the government cannot celebrate yet, adding that testing in many states is very low.

“The number of reported cases daily has declined nationally in the last few weeks. We have seen a 36 per cent decline in August compared to July on national figures.

“Unfortunately, we cannot celebrate this until we test sufficient figures in every state,” the NCDC boss maintained.

195 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria;

Enugu-51
Gombe-40
Lagos-39
Plateau-23
FCT-15
Rivers-12
Kaduna-8
Ondo-3
Bauchi-2
Edo-1
Ogun-1

57,437 confirmed
48,674 discharged
1,100 deaths pic.twitter.com/3xxxQZen55

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) September 21, 2020