#COVID19: Nigeria Records Daily Rise With 753 Infections, 5 More Deaths

Nigeria reported 753 new infections  in the last 24 hours in a continuous spike in the nationwide daily tally, according to an update by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Thursday night, Aug. 12.

With the new infections, the total confirmed cases in Nigeria rose to 180,661 while the death toll climbed to 2,200 with five additional  fatalities.

Lagos continues to be the most infected, recording 364 new infections, followed by Akwa Ibom State with 141 cases while Oyo State ranked third on the chart with 74 new cases, Rivers State, coming fourth, had 46 cases.

Abia State had 38 cases while Ogun and Kwara recorded 24 and 20 cases respectively. Imo State recorded 19 cases. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded 12 cases and Ekiti State recorded 10 infections. Delta and Edo states reported 9 and 6 cases respectively, with Bayelsa reporting one infection.

Rising trend

Though the daily tally continues on a spiking trend due to the fast spreading Delta variant and ongoing doctors’ strike, Nigeria’s active COVID-19 caseload so far stands at 11, 891. 

With 166,570 people recuperating from the disease, the national recovery rate stands at 93 per cent, while the case fatality rate is at 1.2 per cent.

Nigeria has tested over 2.4 million samples out of its estimated 200 million population.

According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria has administered 3.94 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far, with 2.5 persons receiving at least one dose. Less than one per cent of its 200 million population has been fully vaccinated—1.4 million.

However, public health experts warn the ongoing resident doctors’ strike may complicate response to the COVID-19 situation, coupled with the less practice of sanitary protocols by Nigerians.

The doctors went on strike Monday, Aug. 2 over irregular pay, insurance benefits, and poor facilities, demanding better working conditions.

Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, said the government would not pay the striking doctors unless they resume work .

The minister said the ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule is not a punitive measure against the striking doctors but an implementation of the provisions of law.

“Yes, that’s the standard thing. ILO recommends that if you didn’t work, then why will you take your salary that comes from taxpayers’ money,” Ehanire said during a ministerial briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Thursday.

“Because if that is so, you can’t be encouraged to stay home for six months and your salary is running from public funds, from taxpayers’ money, or you have not given the community any service.”

He said the strike in the middle of an outbreak was an “unconscionable” action.

Meanwhile, the health minister said the country would not enter into a full lockdown as a measure to curb the  virus resurgence.

In combating the resurgence, the NCDC said a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), which had been activated at Level 2, continues to coordinate the national response activities.