Health
By Emeka Ugbogu
WITH the unabated, upwardly spiraling rate of infections and even death caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, Nigeria has recently, recorded a 5th position in the World Health Organisation, WHO, Africa region for both highest cumulative cases and highest cumulative deaths.
Revealing this grim statistics in the National Briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, PTF, for Thursday, December, 17, 2020, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said: “In Nigeria, the indication is that we have entered a second wave of infections and we stand the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months, but also not losing the precious lives of our citizens.”
Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, representing the PTF Chairman; who he said: “out of abundance of caution and in line with protocols is currently on self-isolation,” enjoined all present to wish Boss Mustapha and the members of his family, safety and quick recovery.
REALnews had earlier reported that Mustapha had self-isolated due to contacts with some family members and persons, who had tested positive to COVID-19.
Highlighting current developments on COVID-19, the PTF Chairman noted that “the events and statistics of the last two weeks within and outside Nigeria have been very mixed. On the one hand, the cheering news of the COVID-Vaccine, while on the other hand, we have witnessed spikes in the number of infections at home and abroad.”
“The real threat is upon humanity and the progress made in the global health sector in the last five decades or more,” he said.
Whilst considering the progress made in the recent discovery of vaccines to stem the spread of COVID-19, the PTF Chairman remarked: “We are in a potentially difficult phase of the COVID-19 resurgence.”
“The hope offered by the arrival of the vaccine is still some time ahead; and even vaccines alone cannot cure the virus, rather, a combination of initiatives including the NPIs,” he said.
According to him, lives have been lost, but we must slow down the pace of the spread; and at the rate at which the numbers are rising should be examined, and that our vigilance and compliance with the NPIs should be intensified.
The PTF Chairman presented the current statistical analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The figures for the cumulative numbers in the last weeks of 49-51 in Nigeria were as follows:
- Week 49:–1,843
- Week 50:–3,918
- Week 51 (Mon-Wed):1,889
For the global situation in the last 3 days, the figures read as follows:
- Global cases crossed the 74 million mark, now at 74,516,681
- USA crossed the 17 million mark
- The WHO Africa Region has crossed the 1.6M cases mark
- Global CFR declined to 2.2%, while the WHO Africa region’s CFR remains at 2.2 %
- USA continues to record high daily case incidence of over 248,686 cases daily
The PTF Chairman said this analysis would be updated and elaborated upon by the minister of health, followed by the DG, NCDC, and the National Coordinator.
He noted that the continued loss of lives calls for renewed vigour of compliance and said: “the PTF believes that if we do the right things, adhere to the NPIs and step up our testing and detection, loss of lives will be minimized and the rising curve will begin to flatten out.”
To further enthrone measures to ensure compliance and thus curb the spread of the Coronavirus, the PTF Chairman assured: “we shall escalate our risk communication and community engagement strategies to higher levels;”
To prevent a situation where the Covid-19 cankerworm would be contracted by more people, the Chairman said the PTF had held the end of term technical session. This, he said, afforded the PTF the opportunity to assess the progress made and the present dangers that confront us.
Arising from the technical session, the PTF Chairman noted: “current realities, however, point to the fact that the course of further opening up of the economy may have to be reviewed.”
Furthermore, he pointed out: “the festive season is here and we remain conscious of the fact that large gathering events will take place. It is our strong advice that all non-essential trips be cancelled outrightly. We also urge citizens to avoid large gathering events.”
He said the Report of the PTF would be submitted to the President on Tuesday, December 22, 2020.
– Dec. 17, 2020 @ 12: 25 GMT /
Tags: COVID-19: Nigeria ranks 5th in highest cumulative cases deaths in Africa region
