Nigeria records second death from covid-19

The Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, on Monday, stated that another Nigerian has died from the coronavirus disease.

He stated this at a press briefing in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Nigeria has recorded its second death to the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This was announced by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on Monday, when he briefed the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.

“Till date, three persons have been discharged after successful treatment. But sadly, another fatality was recorded over the weekend in the person of a patient who had severe underlying illnesses.

“We have intensified contact tracing and our strategy remains to promptly detect cases, isolate them, and follow up with their contacts and also isolate and treat, in order to reduce the spread of the infection.

“As of today, the 30th of March, 2020, we have recorded 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria of which 68 are in Lagos, 21 in the FCT, seven in Oyo, three in Ogun, two in Bauchi, two in Edo, two in Osun, two in Enugu, and one each in Benue, Ekiti, Kaduna and Rivers States,” Ehanire said.

Ehanire maintained that the majority of the patients were persons who came in from overseas.

He also said at the meeting that all retired but able-bodied staff of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health were being recalled to assist in the battle against the virus.

He then called on Nigerians to see that they protected the elderly among them and also, persons with underlying health issues. These persons he said, remained the most vulnerable.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, told the audience that the briefing would be a daily event.

According to Mustapha, the meeting will regularly give an update on situation of things and would help to minimise the incidence of fake news in the country.

The SGF said that apart from the appearances on TV by relevant members, that the briefing would be the only approved briefing of the task force.

READ ALSO: Lagos discharges another 5 coronavirus patients

He went further to announce that President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a committee chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to care for the economic challenges that the situation might bring for the time being.

On the restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States, as well Abuja, Mustapha clarified that workers in the financial institutions were not included in the stay-at-home order by Buhari.

Lagos State on Monday discharged five more recovered Coronavirus patients, making the total number of persons who have recovered and discharged in the state eight.

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