THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 42 additional COVID-19 infections in the country in two weeks, with Lagos State recording 27 cases.
The NCDC made this known via its official website on Sunday evening, adding that Edo, Kano, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory contributed the remaining figure.
The health agency said that the new cases brought the country’s total of COVID-19 infections to 266,492.
It said that the cases were recorded between Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 13.
According to the report, the NCDC confirmed that the country recorded 29 new cases from Jan. 7 to 13; and the new cases are reported from Lagos (15), FCT (five), Kano (four), Nasarawa (three), Kaduna (one) and Plateau (one).
News Point Nigeria reports that last week, the NCDC said recent experiences in the country with the arrival of the COVID-19 omicron variants showed that travel restrictions did not have any public health benefits but were disruptive for persons and businesses.
Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General, NCDC, said this on his official Twitter handle while addressing Nigerians who raised concern over the rising COVID-19 cases in China, the UK, U.S.A and other countries.
He said that COVID-19 has and continues to follow a different course (epidemiology) in Nigeria and most of African nations.
“Other Omicron progeny that was associated with increases in cases, admissions and deaths elsewhere did not cause the same in Nigeria as confirmed by our genomics surveillance.
“Our population is significantly protected from a combination of natural infection and vaccination,” he explained.
Adetifa said that the COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) met on Dec. 31, 2022, noting that going forward, they would continue to review the ongoing COVID-19 situation over the coming week.
“At the next review and if deemed necessary, a range of actions, not limited to enhanced surveillance of travellers at airports, may be implemented,” he said.
