Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases hit 70 as global death toll tops 25,000

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has recorded five new cases of coronavirus in the Federal Capital Territory and Oyo State as the coronavirus pandemic kills 25,066 people globally, with Europe accounting for most of the deaths, according to an AFP tally at 1430 GMT Friday based on official statistics.

NCDC tweeted, “Five new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria: Three in FCT and two in Oyo State

“As of 08:00 pm, 27th of March, there are 70 cases of confirmed #COVID19 reported Nigeria. Three have been discharged with one dead.

“Currently, Lagos has 44 cases; FCT- 14; Ogun – three; Ekiti – one; Oyo- three; Edo – one; Bauchi- two; Osun – one; and Rivers – one.”

Nigerian authorities have closed airports and borders and shut schools across the nation as part of a series of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

Globally, Europe has the worst-hit continent with 17,314 fatalities. Italy had the highest number of deaths in the world at 8,165, followed by Spain (4,858) and China (3,292).

At least 547,034 coronavirus cases have been registered around the world since December.

Economies were reeling — the head of the IMF said it was clear the world had entered a recession — and Africa’s business powerhouse South Africa became the latest nation to start life under lockdown as it reported its first COVID-19 deaths.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose country has seen more than 14,000 declared coronavirus cases and 759 deaths, said he had developed mild symptoms over the previous 24 hours and was self-isolating after testing positive.