New cases of the covid-19 disease have surged in recent times, climbing to 1,249 cases between 1st July and 13th July 2021, with Lagos State being the epicenter of the spread.
The recent report released by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, reveals that Nigeria recorded 154 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, 13th July 2021.
Lagos State recorded 119 cases on Tuesday, representing 77% of the total cases recorded in the day. The new cases take the total tally in the country to 168,867 cases with the number of active cases surging to 2,119 patients. Nigeria seems to be joining the likes of Haiti, Lesotho, Sierra Leone amongst others currently battling with the third wave of the pandemic.
A cursory look at the data from Worldometer, Nigeria currently stands 9th on the ranking of African countries with the highest cases of coronavirus disease, however, with the recent spike in the number of cases, Nigeria is at risk of a new set of lockdowns.
What they are saying
A statement by the World Health Organization regional office in Africa disclosed that the continent is currently facing its third wave of the covid-19 pandemic with a resurgence in 12 African countries.
- “Africa is facing a fast-surging third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, with cases spreading more rapidly and projected to soon overtake the peak of the second wave the continent witnessed at the start of 2021,” the agency stated.
- WHO regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti had stated in June, “The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder. With rapidly rising case numbers and increasing reports of serious illness, the latest surge threatens to be Africa’s worst yet.”
- Recall that the government of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had warned of a possible third of the coronavirus pandemic in the state, and by extension the country.
- He then urged full compliance with all the health protocols and threatened to prosecute anyone who flouts these protocols, especially travellers.
Nigeria has also added South Africa to its “red list” of countries for which there are stringent restrictions for arriving passengers, due to the spread of the Delta variant in the country. South Africa joined the likes of India, Brazil, and Turkey on the list.
What this means
A continuous surge in the number of cases in Lagos State can be a danger for the entire country at large, given that Lagos is the economic hub of the country, with large movements in and out of the state. If not quickly contained, it could push Nigeria into another round of lockdown, especially with the highly transmittable Delta variant on the loose.
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