Chidi Samuel| The downward trend in the number of new coronavirus cases in Nigeria continued on Sunday as the country recorded 298 more infections, the third-lowest figure since early June.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) which made the disclosure in a statement via a tweet on Sunday night said the new infections were reported from 15 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the NCDC, Plateau state recorded the highest number of new cases – 108, followed by Kaduna- 49, Lagos –47, Ogun -18 and Osun 17.
Other states with new infections include, FCT – 15, Ondo – 14, Edo –8, Oyo –6, Akwa Ibom –4, Cross River –4, Borno –3, Ekiti –2, while Bauchi, Kano, and Rivers recored 1 new case each.
The health agency further noted that the total number of cases in Nigeria currently stands at 49,068, with 36,497 recoveries and 975 deaths.
–Madagascar president’s herbal tonic fails to halt Covid-19 spike
Meanwhile, hospitals in Madagascar have been struggling to cope with a surge of Covid-19 cases, while the president has been promoting an unproven product he says can cure the disease despite the World Health Organization (WHO) warning against using untested remedies.
Cases have quadrupled in the past month in the Indian Ocean island, with more than 13,000 infections and 162 deaths from coronavirus, which has spread to all but one of its 22 regions.
Despite the spike, President Andry Rajoelina stands by the herbal concoction called Covid-Organics, which was launched to great fanfare in April.
It is produced by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research from the artemisia plant – the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment – and other Malagasy plants.
The drink has been marketed as a prevention and remedy – and for the last four months been offered to children at school.
Earlier in the month the president was out again distributing the tonic, along with essentials such as rice, oil, sugar, to poor communities in the capital, Antananarivo.
He faced criticism for drawing crowds during a lockdown, but his attitude remained upbeat: “The epidemic won’t last, it’s only passing through and we will defeat it.”
He also suggested that the number of infected people was not high in suburbs of the capital where the free distribution of the drink had started a few months ago.
With agency report
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