Nigeria Reports 176 New COVID-19 Cases in 14 States

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, May 17th, 2020

Photo: Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday recorded 176 new cases of COVID-19 which brought the total number of infections in Nigeria to 5,621.

NCDC also said that five new patients have been confirmed dead in the country, bringing the total number of deaths to 176.

The 176 new cases were reported from 14 states: Lagos (95), Oyo (31), FCT (11), Niger (8), Borno (8), Jigawa (6), Kaduna (4), Anambra (3), Edo (2), Rivers (2), Nasarawa (2), Bauchi (2), Benue (1), Zamfara (1).

The NCDC noted that no new state reported a case in the last 24 hours.

The health agency said that as at May 16, 5621 cases have been confirmed with 3,973 Active Cases, 1,472 discharged cases and 176 deaths in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The NCDC said cloth masks could facilitate the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19 if not handled properly.

Highlighting the Dos and Don’ts of “Cloth face Masks”, NCDC said that cloth face masks were a convenient substitute to medical face masks for the current global situation.

It said, however, that the Clothe masks should not be worn by individuals who were at a high risk for complications due to COVID-19.

According to the Centre, health care workers, people caring for the sick, experiencing respiratory symptoms like coughing and sneezing, with chronic medical conditions and the elderly should wear medical face masks.

“Do wash your hands frequently with soap under running water to avoid contamination.

”Do adhere to social distancing measures and stay at home as much as possible.

”Do wear a mask before leaving your home for essential services.

”Do wear masks made with at least 3 layers of fabric.

“Don’t use a cloth face mask on children under the age of 2 years.

”Don’t try on new masks from vendors or wear immediately after purchasing, wash before first use.

”Don’t reuse a cloth face mask before it has been washed and dried.

”Don’t leave a used face mask on uncleaned surfaces or in the reach of small children while not in use.

“Don’t pull down your mask to cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your bent elbow over the mask until you can safely remove the mask for washing,” it stated.

NCDC said that a cloth face mask, made out of everyday fabric, could act as a barrier to respiratory droplets but cannot completely protect you from COVID-19.

It said that it was very important that Nigerians handled and cared for their clothe face mask properly to avoid further spread of the infectious agents.

“To protect yourselves and loved ones from COVID-19, cloth face masks must be worn in combination with, avoiding large gatherings, physical distancing by maintaining a distance of two metres between yourself and others.