The total number of covid-19 cases in Nigeria has surpassed the 100,000 mark as of yesterday, Sunday 10th January 2021, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The national case count has risen to 100,087 confirmed cases and 1,358 covid related deaths after the NCDC reported 1,024 new cases of the disease across 17 states of the federation yesterday.
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Ten days into the New Year, Nigeria has already recorded 12,508 new cases of covid-19, which is only 37% short of 19,980 cases recorded in December 2020 and 166% more than 4,704 recorded in November 2020.
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What you should know
- Nigeria currently ranks 8th in Africa by the number of confirmed cases of the disease, behind Algeria (102,144), Libya (104,745), and Ethiopia (128,316).
- A survey carried out by Nairametrics Research in September 2020, revealed that Nigerians had abandoned the use of face masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing practices as they went about their daily businesses.
- According to the report, most traders and artisans believed the virus was no longer a threat considering the reduction in the daily number of cases, while some believed there was no Covid-19 in Nigeria in the first place.
- Nairametrics also reported earlier in January, that the Lagos State government had attributed the second wave of the pandemic to the re-opening of the economy, schools, religious, and social gatherings, among others.
- A statement made by the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi. He also added that other reasons included general laxity, a false sense of security, and non-adherence to safety guidelines by citizens and various entertainment gatherings.
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Vaccine distribution
Nairametrics reported on Sunday that the federal government revealed its distribution plan for the Covid-19 vaccine when it eventually gets to Nigeria.
- According to the report, the federal government disclosed that the rate of infection per state/region will determine priority in the distribution of vaccines. This method of allocation puts Kano and Lagos state at the forefront of receiving the most vaccines.
- Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the federal government on Saturday said that the country would receive about 100,000 doses of vaccines in two weeks’ time or at the latest between the end of this month and the first week of February.
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What this means
- The second wave of the pandemic in Nigeria is growing at a higher rate compared to the first wave.
- A continuous increase in the number of cases of the pandemic could trigger another round of lockdown, which could hinder the recovery process of the economy from recession.
- The increases can be attributed to Nigerians not complying with the health guidelines put in place by the government to curb the spread of the pandemic.
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