COVID-19 toll hits 139 as Lagos, Abuja record new infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has announced four new cases of coronavirus, three in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and one in Lagos State, making the cases in the country 139.

It tweeted, “Four new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Nigeria; three in the FCT and one in Lagos.

“As of 08:00 pm on 31st of March, there are 139 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. Nine have been discharged with two deaths.

“For a breakdown of cases by states in real time, Lagos currently has 82 cases, FCT- 28, Oyo- eight, Osun- five, Ogun- four, Kaduna- three, Enugu- two, Edo- two, Bauchi- two, Ekiti- one,
Rivers- one, and Benue – one.”

Nigeria recorded its first coronavirus case on February 27 when an Italian businessman, who was on a visit to Lafarge Africa Plc, Ewekoro, Ogun State, was diagnosed with the disease. The Italian had recently been discharged.

Following the increasing cases of the virus, Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), ordered a shutdown of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State.

On Day One of the shutdown, Lagos was calm with the usual traffic jams disappearing. Like in Lagos, markets, schools and clubs among others were also shut in Abuja.

Meanwhile, the NCDC says it is set to increase its capacity to test for COVID-19 to 1,500 per day in the country.

Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said, “Last week, we had the capacity to test 500 per day, by the end of this week we will be at 1000 a day. “By next week we are hoping to get to 1,500 a day.”