Nigeria records highest single-day rise in COVID-19 infections

Nigeria's confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 107,345 late Friday after reporting 1,867 new cases, the highest single-day rise in the country since the onset of the pandemic about 11 months ago.

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) which confirmed the figure said eight more deaths were recorded, bringing the death toll to 1,413.

The new cases were reported from 23 states, including Abuja, the federal capital territory, and Lagos, the economic hub. Lagos, also the most populous state in Nigeria, reported 713 new infections in the daily count.

According to the NCDC, the recovered cases in Nigeria rose to 84,535 as a total of 705 patients were discharged within 24 hours across the country. This included 277 community recoveries in the southwestern state of Lagos, 150 in the northern state of Kaduna, and 78 in the central state of Plateau, managed in line with guidelines.

The NCDC said genomic sequencing in Nigeria shows no evidence yet of variants associated with the increased transmission, meaning that the new highly transmittable variant of the COVID-19 had not been detected in the country.

"But we're looking...and will not relent in our disease surveillance efforts," the public health agency said in a statement.

Nigeria surpassed its existing highest weekly record of COVID-19 infections last week, recording over 9,800 cases in seven days.

An analysis by the official News Agency of Nigeria showed that between Jan. 3 and Jan. 9, the country recorded 9,833 cases, a sharp increase from the 5,681 cases recorded the week before.

The NCDC said a multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Center is coordinating response activities across the country, which is battling a second wave of COVID-19.

It also urged individuals and institutions to take responsibility and play their part in ensuring adherence to preventive measures.

The Nigerian government on Thursday dismissed rumors that it was planning to, again, lock down the country amid the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.

On the same day, the federal government directed all schools to reopen on Jan. 18 following a comprehensive appraisal of a school resumption proposal by stakeholders.

Nigeria hopes to get up to 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this month to inoculate frontline health workers who risk infection on a daily basis, said health minister Osagie Ehanire.

The country will try to get additional vaccines, the minister added.