The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Wednesday announced 389 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the new tally of confirmed infections in the country to 8,733.

The update on Wednesday is the highest daily figure so far reported since the beginning of the outbreak in the country. Also, Kogi State recorded its first cases of the disease. This implies that 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have now reported at least a case of the disease. Only one state in the country, Cross River, is yet to record any case.

There was a decline in the number of deaths recorded on Wednesday as five deaths were recorded from the virus bringing the total number of confirmed deaths from the virus to 254.

The health agency in a late tweet on Wednesday said the 389 new cases were reported in 22 states. These are Lagos, Katsina, Edo, Rivers, Kano, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Gombe, Plateau, Abia, Delta, Benue, Niger, Kogi, Oyo, Imo, Borno, Ogun and Anambra.

The number of reported cases in Lagos, the epicenter of the outbreak in Nigeria, was also the highest daily figure.

“Till date, 8,733 cases have been confirmed, 2,501 cases have been discharged and 254 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” it said.

The 389 new cases are reported from 15 states:

Lagos – 256, Katsina – 23, Edo – 22, Rivers -14, Kano – 13, Adamawa – 11, Akwa Ibom – 11, Kaduna – 7, Kwara – 6, Nasarawa – 6, Gombe – 2, Plateau – 2, Abia – 2, Delta – 2, Benue – 2, Niger – 2, Kogi – 2, Oyo – 2, Imo – 1, Borno -1, Ogun – 1 and Anambra – 1

BREAKDOWN

A breakdown of the 8, 733 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 4, 012 cases, followed by Kano – 936, FCT – 519, Katsina – 358, Borno – 257, Oyo – 252, Ogun – 242, Jigawa – 241, Edo – 240, Bauchi – 233, Kaduna – 215, Rivers – 171, Gombe – 152, Sokoto – 116, Plateau – 97, Kwara – 85, Zamfara – 76, Nasarawa – 62, Delta – 51, Yobe – 47, Osun – 44, Adamawa – 38, Ebonyi – 36, Akwa Ibom – 35, Imo – 34, Kebbi – 32, Niger – 30, Ondo – 24, Ekiti – 20, Enugu – 18, Taraba – 18, Bayelsa – 12, Anambra – 11, Abia – 10, Benue – 7 and Kogi – 2.

While new cases continue to increase, NCDC has cautioned older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes and cancer, to observe all the necessary precautionary measures as they are at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19.

It also advised Nigerians to ensure proper hand hygiene, physical distancing and wearing a mask especially around vulnerable groups.

The agency said it is also working very hard to support states in setting up treatment centres and training health workers to manage COVID-19 patients to recovery.

“We commend colleagues making tremendous sacrifices and working around the clock to save lives and control the pandemic,” it said.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has said the best way to ensure cases of COVID-19 are on a downward trajectory is to put strong testing, disease surveillance and public health measures in place.