Nigeria’s single-day infection hits record high as toll surge past 14,000, Health minister says it may be difficult to differentiate cold and COVID-19

Chidi Samuel| Nigeria’s COVID-19 burden rose to 14, 554 cases on Thursday with 681 new cases, the biggest single-day surge since the index case was recorded in the country in February.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the new infections were recorded in Lagos, 345, Rivers 51, Ogun 48, Gombe 47, Oyo 36, Imo 31, and Delta 28.

New infections were also recorded in Kano 23, Bauchi 18, Edo 12, Katsina 12, Kaduna 9, Anambra 7, Jigawa 5, Kebbi 4, Ondo 4 and Nasarawa 1.

The health agency further said Nigeria so far has 14,554 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with 387 deaths and 4, 494 discharges.

The NCDC said, 681 new cases of #COVID19;

Lagos-345
Rivers-51
Ogun-48
Gombe-47
Oyo-36
Imo-31
Delta-28
Kano-23
Bauchi-18
Edo-12
Katsina-12
Kaduna-9
Anambra-7
Jigawa-5
Kebbi-4
Ondo-4
Nasarawa-1

Total of:
14,554 cases of #COVID19Nigeria
4,494 discharged
387 deaths

-It may be difficult to differentiate between cold and COVID-19 during harmattan

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s health minister, Osagie Ehanire on Thursday said when the harmattan season begins, it may be difficult to differentiate between common cold and COVID-19.

Ehanire who stated this at the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, said it is advisable for anybody showing symptoms of respiratory infection to use a face mask until there is confirmation of the person’s COVID-19 status.

“It is true that the period during harmattan you get an increase in upper respiratory tract infection, in catarrh, cough and so on.”

“So it may be a challenge to start differentiating between that and COVID-19 but it’s good to get the history and to advise the patient to put on a mask or give them a mask, so that whether it is COVID-19 or ordinary influenza virus or any kind of virus, there is protection of others.

“Then, carry out the normal diagnosis. Usually, the runny nose is a common feature of that common cold infection and a heavy productive cough is part of it (common cold). The COVID-19 generally, but not always generally, is dry cough.

“Clinicians will have to try to find the difference between the two but symptoms can be a little similar.”