Nigerian govt officially declares second wave of COVID-19

A second wave of the deadly COVID-19 virus has been officially declared in Nigeria by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 as infections continue to increase across the country.

This was stated on Thursday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, (who has also tested positive for the virus) during the daily media briefing.

Boss Mustapha who was represented during the briefing by Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said that Nigeria has entered a second wave of infections and stands the risk of losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months battling the pandemic.

According to Boss Mustapha, there is a need to step up testing and detection for the deadly virus to minimize the loss of lives and ensure the rising curve begins to flatten out.

READ ALSO: PTF accuses religious bodies of sabotaging national Covid-19 response

He said; “If we do the right things, adhere to the Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) and step up our testing and detection, loss of lives will be minimized and the rising curve will begin to flatten out.

Boss Mustapha added that while the country in the last two weeks on the one hand, received cheering news of the COVID-19 vaccine 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 Nigeria’s cumulative numbers in the last weeks of 49-51 showed: “Week 49 – 1,843; Week 50 – 3,918 and Week 51 (Mon-Wed): 1,889.

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