Nigeria records no COVID-19 death in nine days

The Nigerian Center for Disease Control reported no COVID19 death related cases for the ninth consecutive days as the country’s fatality toll remains 2,061.

The NCDC disclosed this on Tuesday on it’s official Twitter handle.

The News Agency of Nigeria had reports that the country last registered Covid related death on April 11.

Following this, NAN reports that cumulatively since the outbreak began in 2020, there have been a total reported death cases of about 2,061 with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.3 per cent.

Stressing further, the NCDC said it conducted 1,870,915 COVID-19 tests since Feb. 27, 2020, adding that 120 infections were registered as of Tuesday, bringing the cumulative number of cases to 164,423.

The agency announced that another 22 people recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, adding that cumulatively 154,406 COVID-19 recoveries had been reported since Feb. 27, 2020.

“It noted that a multi-sectoral National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, has continued to coordinate the national response activities in the country.”

“The agency said it had continued to lead the national public health response to ensure that Nigerians were protected from the virus since the first case of the disease was confirmed in the country.”

“Aside from significant control of local transmission, one of the key areas of priority is the institution of public health measures to prevent further importation and exportation of the virus.

“In addition to the already established and widely expanded network of public health laboratories, the NCDC has also optimised testing through enrolment and operationalisation of private testing laboratories for increased accessibility,” it said.

NCDC said this initiative had resulted in scaled-up testing nationwide and efficient process in testing inbound and outbound travellers as they are mandated to test via private facilities.

It said this is in line with the national mandatory quarantine protocols and procedures.

The public health agency said the interventions had tremendously reduced the number of likely importation and exportation of cases.

It said, however, that trading and presentation of fake results at departure and arrival halls by some elements in some of the international airports has posed challenges recently.

“This poses significant danger particularly to travellers with genuine negative results, thereby resulting in further risk of exportation or importation of the disease,” it said.

NCDC, however, urged Nigerians to ensure strict compliance with all recommended COVID-19 protocols, including travel guidelines.