Nigeria records 10 new cases of coronavirus, total now 224

Nigeria has recorded 10 new cases of coronavirus in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos, and Edo States.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 224, The PUNCH reports.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made this known on Sunday.

NCDC tweeted, “Ten new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria – six in Lagos State, two in FCT and two in Edo.

“As of 11:15 am on the 5th of April, there are 224 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 27 have been discharged with five deaths.

“For a breakdown of cases by states, Lagos has 115 cases, FCT – 45, Osun – 20, Oyo – nine, Akwa Ibom – five, Ogun – four, Edo – nine, Kaduna – four, Bauchi – six, Enugu – two, Ekiti – two, Rivers – one, Benue – one, Ondo – one.”

Meanwhile, the Director-General of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, noted that there were indications of sustained community transmission of the virus, saying 30 per cent of the cases had incomplete epidemiological information.

Ihekweazu stated that while 51 per cent were imported cases, 19 per cent were contacts of known cases.

“This is one of the purposes for which the lock-down of two states and the FCT was proclaimed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“These areas, especially Lagos as primary epicenter, as well as other parts of the Federation, need to speed up their activities to detect and isolate COVID-19 patients.

“During and following the lockdown, we expect to see an increase in cases as a measure of improvement in case finding,” he said.

The NCDC DG, however, expressed optimism that if social distancing and other measures were adhered to, infections would be controlled.

THE PUNCH