COVID-19: Amid third consecutive weekly increase, Nigeria records highest cases in six weeks

For the third week in a row, Nigeria’s new weekly COVID-19 infections have increased, a PREMIUM TIMES‘s review of official data shows.

This paper reported how new cases increased by 32 per cent in the 44th week of the pandemic. Also, in the following week (November 1-7), the country recorded 937 fresh cases, a two per cent increase from the preceding week’s record.

However, last week, the 46th week of the pandemic (November 8 to 14), Nigeria recorded 1,206 new cases, a 22 per cent increase from the previous week’s figures.

Further analysis of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) data showed that last week’s record is the highest the country reported in the past six weeks.

The last time the country recorded a higher weekly figure was the 2,142 cases reported between September 26 and October 3.

The increase in new cases last week occurred despite over 50 per cent reduction in the number of tests carried out.

A total of 24,210 samples were collected for testing last week as against the 56,089 tested the previous week. Since the pandemic broke out in February, a total of 705,809 samples have been collected in the country for testing.

The increasing number of COVID-19 cases might be as a result of the laxity on the part of Nigerians and the government about adhering to and enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols.

This paper had earlier examined how Nigeria is gradually slipping into the second wave of the pandemic like some other countries of the world, going by the increasing cases.

Countries across Europe are seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and have begun to declare a second lockdown to curb the spread of the respiratory disease.

England, Portugal, and Hungary are among the nations in a second lockdown as the new wave of infections sweeps through, shattering efforts and responses to keep the contagion at bay.

Less recoveries and deaths

A PREMIUM TIMES analysis also showed that there was a slight reduction in the number of COVID-19 patients discharged and deaths recorded last week.

A total of 1,146 persons recovered and were discharged last week, which represents a five per cent decrease when compared to the previous week’s record of 1,209.

Also, Nigeria recorded nine deaths last week. A total of 10 persons died of COVID-19 complications in the previous week.

Nigeria so far

As of the time of reporting, Nigeria has 64,996 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of this figure, 61,029 have been discharged and 1,163 deaths have been recorded in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A breakdown of the confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 22,268 cases, followed by FCT – 6,371, Plateau — 3,719, Oyo — 3,617, Rivers — 2,914, Edo — 2,685, Kaduna — 2,762, Ogun — 2,099, Delta — 1,823, Kano — 1,760, Ondo — 1,720, Enugu — 1,332, Kwara — 1,084, Ebonyi — 1,055, Osun — 940, Katsina — 965, Abia — 926, Gombe — 938, Borno — 745, Bauchi — 744, Imo — 648, Benue — 493, Nasarawa — 485, Bayelsa — 423, Ekiti — 341, Jigawa — 325, Akwa Ibom — 319, Anambra — 285, Niger — 283, Adamawa — 261, Sokoto — 165, Taraba — 153, Kebbi — 93, Zamfara — 79, Cross River— 89, Yobe — 82 and Kogi — 5.

Lagos State remains the epicentre for the disease with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths in the country.

The other five states with the highest number of confirmed cases are FCT, Plateau, Oyo, Rivers and Edo states.

Of all the 36 states and the FCT, only Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Gombe, Borno, Benue, Jigawa, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe and Kogi did not record at least a fresh case last week.

Also, only Kogi and Sokoto states have no active COVID-19 cases currently.