COVID-19 victims rise to 65 as Bauchi, Rivers, Oyo record first confirmed cases

• NMA seeks effective coordination between government, stakeholders
• WHO urges continuity of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB services amid scourge

As earlier predicted, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country has increased with seven new cases in less than 24 hours with Oyo and Rivers recording first infections.

Latest figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that seven new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Nigeria and till date, 51 cases have been confirmed, two cases have been discharged and one death recorded from the disease.

A breakdown of the figures showed that of the seven new cases, Lagos has three, Bauchi (one), Osun (one), Rivers (one) and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja (two), among others.

The NCDC said all new cases have mild to moderate symptoms and are currently receiving care and a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at level 3, continues to coordinate the national response activities.

However, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has advocated effective coordination between federal, state governments and other stakeholders even as they lamented absence of purpose-built isolation centres and inadequate intensive care units with ventilators and artificial respirators.

President, NMA, Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, urged governments at all levels to ensure availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and other incentives that could motivate health workers to do their best.

Faduyile also urged authorities at federal and state levels to reconvene 2014 Ebola Team to assist at this point since that will ensure that all useful previous experiences including their failings contribute to efforts of today for greater success.

The NMA also lamented the absence of care facilities such as purpose-built isolation centres and purpose-built Intensive Care Units (ICUs), saying in the immediate past, the country had infectious diseases hospitals in all states of the federation.

“To make matters worse, care facilities like are inadequate in most of the countries health institutions. The ICUs with ventilators and artificial respirators make the difference between life and death in complications from Covid-19. It is scary that the dearth of these facilities is the same in all 36 States and the FCT,” he added.

Besides, the World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday advised countries to ensure continuity of malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) services amid COVID-19 pandemic.

It said as the world tackles the pandemic, it was important to ensure that essential health services and operations continue to made be available to protect the lives of people with malaria, TB and other diseases.