Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Crossed 20,000 as More People Tests Positive

More People Tests Positive to COVID-19 in Nigeria, Total Now 20,244

The number of COVID-19 infected people rose to a record high of 20,244 on Sunday as more Nigerians tested positive to the deadly virus following the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to ease lockdown to pave way for economic recovery.

In a new report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the total number of infected people rose by 436 to 20,244 on Sunday. Accordingly, 12 new death cases were recorded to take total deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic to 518.

“Till date, 20244 cases have been confirmed, 6879 cases have been discharged and 518 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” the NCDC stated.

A break down of the new cases revealed that 436 new cases were reported from 19 states with Lagos remaining in the frontline state with (169), Oyo (52), Plateau (31), Imo (29), Kaduna (28), Ogun (23), FCT (18), Enugu (18), Bauchi (17), Bayelsa (14), Rivers (8), Osun (6), Kano (6), Edo(5), Benue (5), Adamawa (3), Borno (2), Abia (1) and Ekiti (1).”

Presently, there are 12,847 active cases in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.

Meanwhile, Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of Presidential Task Force, has said the nation may be counting bodies in hundreds in the next three weeks.

He said “There’ll be pandemonium and we might get into a panic mode. Sadly, we are still in the first wave and the figures will not abate, because the attitudes of a majority of the people do not suggest that we want the figures to abate.”

Mustapha urges Nigerians to adhere to simple safety protocols to curb the rising number of confirmed cases and support government’s efforts containing the spread of the virus in the country.