Chidi Samuel| Nigeria has confirmed twenty new cases of the novel coronavirus.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made the disclosure via its verified Twitter handle on Monday.
According to the health agency, the new cases were recorded in Lagos, Edo, Kano, Ogun and Ondo states.
The tweet read, ”Twenty new cases of #COVID19 have been reported as follows:
13 in Lagos
2 in Edo
2 in Kano
2 in Ogun
1 in Ondo
”As at 09:50 pm 13th April there are 343 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 91 have been discharged with 10 deaths.”
”No of states with confirmed cases:19.”
Meanwhile, as the country grapples with the challenge of an increasing number of coronavirus infections in the country, President Buhari on Monday extended the lockdown order on Lagos, Ogun and the federal capital territory, Abuja.
In a nationwide broadcast to Nigerians, the President said that, although locking down the two states and the FCT was a difficult decision for his government, “such sacrifices are needed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our country”.
Buhari said, “With this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and Report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered, it has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the FCT for another 14 days effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13th of April, 2020. I am therefore once again asking you all to work with Government in this fight.”
“This is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death. Mosques in Makkah and Madina have been closed. The Pope celebrated Mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square. The famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter Mass with less than 10 people. India, Italy, and France are in complete lockdown. Other countries are in the process of following suit. We cannot be lax.”
The President also directed the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, to expand the social register by one million households within two weeks.
This would mean that the social register would be expanded from 2.6 million homes to 3.6 million.
Buhari further stated that the previous palliatives announced to ease the pain of the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja would be sustained.
According to him, a committee has been set up to develop a policy to help the economy adapt to the new reality.
Buhari said, “To ensure our economy adapts to this new reality, I am directing the ministers of industry, trade and investment, communication and digital economy, science and technology, transportation, aviation, interior, health, works and housing, labour and employment and education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy for a ‘Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19’.
“The ministers will be supported by the presidential economic advisory council and economic sustainability committee in executing this mandate.
“I am also directing the minister of agriculture and rural development, the national security adviser, the vice-chairman, national food security council and the chairman, presidential fertiliser initiative to work with the presidential task force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized.”
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