You are here: HomeNewsHealth2020 03 20Article 349642

General News of Friday, 20 March 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

All you need to know about coronavirus in Nigeria

Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi

The deadly coronavirus has crept into the African continent, although at a slower pace than that of the European countries like Italy, Netherlands, the US and the UK amongst others.

Since the virus broke out last year in the Hubei province of Wuhan, China, there is a global record of more than 255,000 cases and at least 10,495 deaths as of March 20, 2020.

There are now more than 700 confirmed cases of COVID19 in 34 countries in Africa as of 20 March, compared with 147 cases about one week ago, according to the World Health Organisation - WHO.

Chad, Ghana, South Africa, Guinea, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal, Gambia, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Togo, Gabon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, amongst others have all recorded cases of the deadly virus.



Back home in Nigeria, the Federal Government delayed in closing its borders or initiating travel ban even after the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the first COVID-19 case in Lagos State on the 27th of February 2020.

Everything seemed to be "under control" until the 17th of March when the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control - NCDC reported two new cases.

According to a report from the NCDN dated 17th March 2020, "apart from the index case, a total of 55 people have been screened for COVID-19 (2 new) in 8 states (Edo, Enugu, FCT, Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Yobe) out of which 47 tested negative and have been ruled out, the result is pending for six, while two were confirmed positive."

"Cumulatively, Nigeria has recorded three confirmed cases of COVID-19 with no death," NCDC report added.

NCDC stated that "the second confirmed case who was a contact of the index case, has tested negative twice consecutively, has cleared the virus and was discharged to go home on 13th of March 2020."

As of 18th of March 2020, Nigeria recorded "five new confirmed cases of COVID-19 raising the tally to "eight confirmed cases of COVID-19", according to the NCDC.

On the 19th of March 2020, "four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria.

"Nigeria has recorded twelve (12) confirmed cases of COVID-19. All four new cases are from Lagos. One had a travel history to the UK; one to France, 3rd case had contact with one of the previously confirmed cases; 4th case had no history of travel," NCDC said.



A graphical representation how Nigeria's COVID-19 cases rose to 12 from March 3 - 19


Note the following from NCDC:

• Apart from the index case, a total of 91 people have been screened for COVID-19 (22 new) in 13 States (Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, FCT, Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Yobe, Katsina, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa and Ondo) out of which 63 tested negative and have been ruled out, the result is pending for 17, while eleven were confirmed positive.

• The index case has tested negative once. If there is a second consecutive negative test, he will
be discharged

MyNigeria.com can confirm that Nigeria has recorded 12 cases of coronavirus as of March 20. One has tested negative leaving us with a total of 11 active cases.

Global coronavirus trackers, Worldometer and John Hopkins University (US) also confirm that the country has 12, recorded cases, 11 active cases and no deaths.

See screenshots from Worldometer and JHU below:



Worldometer confirms Nigeria has 12 COVID-19 cases | March 20, 2020






JHU confirms Nigeria has 12 COVID-19 cases | March 20, 2020