The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 188 new cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country with total number of infections now 56,017.
The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Friday, adding that one new fatality also raised the death toll to 1,076.
The agency said that the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country had reached the 56,000 benchmark.
It said that till date, 56,017 cases have been confirmed, 43,998, discharged and 1,076 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was stated that the 188 cases were reported from 18 states and the FCT.
The NCDC said that Lagos state leads with 47 cases followed by Enugu, 25 and Plateau, 21.
Among others were Edo, Oyo and Kwara tied with three cases each as Yobe and Rivers report least number of two each.
The health agency said that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC) activated at Level 3, have continued to coordinate the national response activities across the country.
The NCDC also announced two new laboratories activated for inclusion in the Molecular Laboratory Network.
It said there were the Federal Medical Centre, GeneXpert Laboratory, Birnin Kebbi and the Plateau State Human Virology Research Center (PLASVIREC), in Plateau.
The NCDC stated that this brought the total number of laboratories in the country to test for the virus to 71 and in 35 states.
It said that Niger State has yet to come on board in its network of laboratories.
The public health agency disclosed that the Cedarcrest Hospital Molecular Laboratory, FCT, had also been accredited as a private fee-paying laboratory for COVID-19 testing.
“For a complete list of private fee-paying labs offering testing for COVID-19 in Nigeria visit, covid-19.ncdc.gov.ng/privatelabs/,” it said.
The NCDC urged Nigerians not to risk their lives, adding that COVID-19 affected both the young and the old, especially those with underlying health conditions.
The health agency stated that as the country conducts elections, in Edo and Ondo states, it was wise for their residents to take responsibility by adhering to guidelines to protect themselves from COVID-19 by the use of face masks, hand sanitisers and coughing/sneezing into their elbow.
“Read ‘Guidelines for Conducting Elections in Nigeria’ via: covid19.ncdc.gov.ng/media/files/El…
“Wear a face mask properly in public, practise hand/respiratory hygiene and maintain physical distancing,” it advised.
Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on Friday, adopted an “omnibus resolution’’ seeking a comprehensive and coordinated global response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This came six days to the end of the 74th Session of the Assembly under the leadership of Nigeria represented by its Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Tijani Muhammad-Bande.
The U.S. and Israel voted against the decision, which sailed through by 162-2 votes with two abstentions (Hungary and Ukraine).
Among other affirmations, the resolution notes that multilateralism, international cooperation, and solidarity are the only paths to an effective response to global crises such as COVID-19.
To this end, it calls for “intensified international cooperation and solidarity to contain, mitigate and overcome the pandemic and its consequences.
It underscores the need for this to be done “through responses that are people-centred, gender-responsive, with full respect for human rights, multidimensional, coordinated, inclusive, innovative, swift and decisive at all levels’’.
The resolution urges exchange of information, scientific knowledge and best practices by countries in addition to strengthening of “platforms to inform mitigation and response actions and continuously monitor the impact of the pandemic’’.
Voicing a strong opposition to racism, xenophobia, hate speech, and stigmatisation associated with COVID-19, it urges countries to ensure that all human rights are respected and protected in the fight against the disease.
The resolution recognises the important leadership role of the World Health Organisation and the UN system towards a comprehensive global response to COVID-19.
It reaffirms the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for an immediate global cease-fire to pave the way for a united front against the pandemic.
In separate remarks following the adoption, delegates described the resolution as one of the most important products of the outgoing session.
They attributed its success largely to the leadership, wisdom, diplomatic skills, and tenacity of Muhammad-Bande and co-coordinators of the Assembly on COVID-19.
Russia said Muhammad-Bande had brought greater glory to Nigeria with his sterling leadership of the 193-member body, adding that his work would “long remain in the memories of the delegations.
Wrapping up the remarks, the Assembly president expressed appreciation to representatives of member states for their patience and engagement in the process.
Muhammad-Bande gave the credit to the co-coordinators, Adela Raz and Ivan Simonovic, Permanent Representatives of Afghanistan and Croatia respectively.
He urged member states to go beyond adoption by honouring the commitments they have made in the resolution.
