COVID-19: Nigeria enters third wave as cases of Delta variant spike

Virus claims 30 lives in Lagos in a week – Sanwo-Olu

The Nigerian government Monday said the country is already seeing the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic as cases of Delta variant are increasing in several states.

Nigeria’s minister of health Osagie Ehanire said the country has been recording a sharp increase in the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases since July, as global anxiety over the Delta variant spreads.

Rising cases of Delta variant of the COVID-19 are seen in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Rivers, Kano, Plateau and Abuja.

“All treatment centres have been put on alert to receive cases especially in the face of the threat of the third wave, as we continue to train community volunteers and intensive care experts, to support our response,” Ehanire said.

Nigeria has recorded a total of 174,315 Covid-19 cases from 2,542,261 samples tested, with 7,151 active cases, and 2,149 deaths.

The chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, said that the PSC has been working on the rising number of COVID-19 cases and proffer ways to curtain a huge impact on citizens lives and livelihood.

“The world has added about 4 million cases and under 100,000 deaths in the last one week. All countries in the West African region are beginning to see the 3rd Wave while Nigeria is recording about 500 cases daily in the last seven days,” Mustapha said.

“Our Test Positivity Ratio has increased to about six percent. This is worrisome and shows that we are not out of the woods yet.”

“The PSC is particularly concerned about the situation in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Rivers, Kano, Plateau and FCT as the Delta variant has made way into these states and accounts for the rising cases in these states and across the nation. Lagos alone accounts for over 50 percent of the number of cases.”

Earlier on Monday, Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said at least six persons have died in the state every day in the last one week. He said 30 persons have died in the state since the third wave began.

“We have, sadly, recorded 390 fatalities in Lagos State, 30 of which have taken place in this current third wave of the pandemic. Essentially, we have recorded on average 6 deaths per day since last week,” the governor said.