Four new cases of Corona Virus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Nigeria, bringing the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country to 40. Out of the four new cases, three are in Lagos State while one new case was recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Out of the 40 cases, two have been discharged while one death was recorded yesterday.
According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), two of the new cases came from returning travelers.
A breakdown of cases by states as at 11:00 pm on the 23rd of March, 2020, showed that Lagos had 28, Abuja 7, Ogun 2, Ekiti 1, Oyo 1 and Edo 1.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on Monday said that the Federal Government would publish names of people who refused to go into self-isolation after returning to Nigeria from countries with high burden of coronavirus.
Ehanire warned that Nigeria could be heading the way of China and Italy, which had recorded high number of coronavirus cases and deaths.
The country on Monday recorded the first casualty of COVID-19 – a returning traveler from the United Kingdom.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in a statement said that “the case was a 67-year-old male who returned home following medical treatment in UK.”
“The victim was the former Managing Director of the Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Suleiman Achimugu, who died on Monday
“He had underlying medical conditions- multiple myeloma & diabetes & was undergoing chemotherapy”, the NCDC explained.
The health minister said some people who had been infected were hiding.
Nigeria recorded its first COVID-19 case on February 27 when an Italian was diagnosed with the disease. It is, therefore, believed that Federal Government’s delay in banning flights from high-risk countries led to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria today.
Just last Thursday, the FG banned flights from 13 high-risk countries when the cases had increased to 18.
Peace Obi
Be the first to know when we publish an update
