Nigeria sixth African country with high coronavirus cases – WHO

Nigeria is among six African countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases, the World Health Organisation chart shows.

Nigeria’s case of COVID-19 rose astronomically from one to 81 cases in about four weeks beginning when an Italian was confirmed its first index case on February 27.

WHO stats showed on Saturday that Nigeria ranked sixth African country with exploding cases of the pandemic which has infected over 400,000 people globally with over 25,000 deaths recorded so far.

South Africa with 927 cases and two deaths; Algeria with 305 cases with 21 deaths, Burkina Faso with 146 and three deaths, Ghana with 132 and three deaths, and Senegal with 105 with no death top the list in the order of first, second, third, fourth and fifth places.

Nigeria came sixth on the table with 81 cases with one death as of 10:00am on Saturday, March 28.

Over 40 of the recorded cases are in Lagos with the government saying the state might witness about 39,000 cases in a worst-case scenario.

The PUNCH reports that the Federal Government on Friday opened all National Youth Service Corps orientation camps in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to use as isolation centres in the event of more confirmed cases.

Some stadiums around the country have also been opened as isolation centres.

The pandemic has paralysed economic and socio-religious activities in the West African country as the need for social distancing compels many to stay indoors.