Nigeria may be close to flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic as confirmed cases in the country keep dropping weekly, Tribune Online analysis has shown. This is even as the much-expected COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory last Tuesday.
Last week, the country recorded more reductions in the number of infections, recoveries and deaths.
A total of 2,817 new cases were reported in the country last week (February 21 to 27), the lowest in three months.
The last time Nigeria recorded such a low figure was in the November 29 to December 5 week, when it reported 1,607 cases.
According to the data provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the 2,817 cases recorded last week is a reduction from the 3,864 cases recorded the previous week.
A total of 48,090 samples were collected for testing last week compared to the 42,383 tested the previous week.
The country has so far tested 1,544,008 samples out of which 158,237 cases have been confirmed positive, a total of 137,645 cases have since been discharged after treatment, and currently, there are 18,628 patients in various isolation centres across the country. Unfortunately, 1,964 deaths were recorded in the period under review.
Death, recoveries reduced
Further analysis showed that the COVID-19 death rate reduced last week. 59 persons died from COVID-19 complications, according to the data provided by the NCDC.
74 persons died from the virus the previous week (February 21- 27) while 84 deaths were recorded in the penultimate week (February 14 – 20).
Also, 4,316 people recovered and were discharged last week; this shows a reduction when compared to the 5,324 persons of the previous week.
Last week’s cases
On Sunday, 240 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 155,657.
On Monday, 360 new cases of the pandemic were reported in the country, taking the total to 155,017.
On Tuesday, 479 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded, bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 156,496.
On Wednesday, 484 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country.
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On Thursday, 708 new cases were reported in Nigeria.
On Friday, 371 new cases of the pandemic were recorded.
On Saturday, 195 new cases were reported in Nigeria, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 158,237.
*See the breakdown of the 158,237 cases below;*
Lagos State which is the epicentre of the virus has recorded 56,444 cases, followed by FCT – 19,335, Plateau – 8,942, Kaduna – 8,645, Oyo – 6,766, Rivers – 6,658, Edo – 4,663, Ogun – 4,421, Kano – 3,840, Ondo – 3,066, Kwara – 2,953, Delta – 2,582, Osun – 2,454, Nasarawa – 2,248, Enugu – 2,078, Katsina – 2,060, Gombe – 2,010, Ebonyi – 1,951, Anambra – 1,811, Akwa Ibom – 1,597, Abia – 1,588, Imo – 1,551, Borno – 1,303, Bauchi – 1,237, Benue – 1,188, Adamawa – 762, Niger – 919, Taraba – 863, Ekiti – 828, Bayelsa – 779, Sokoto – 769, Jigawa – 496, Kebbi – 401, Cross River – 334, Yobe – 288, Zamfara – 222, Kogi – 5.
COVID-19: Nigeria close to ‘flattening the curve’ ― Analysis