Nigeria has recorded a significant increase in its daily coronavirus infections on Thursday after Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 1,145 new cases – highest caseload ever.
The health agency made the announcement via its Twitter page with the new cases recorded in 23 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The new toll comes just a day after the country recorded its previous highest count — Nigeria recorded 930 positive cases on December 16.
Read Also: NCDC Announces 930 New COVID-19 Cases – Highest Daily Caseload Ever Recorded
The new cases were confirmed in Lagos (459), FCT (145), Kaduna (138), Plateau (80), Katsina (70), Gombe (52), Niger (31), Kano (23), Bayelsa (21), Bauchi (18), Ondo (18), Rivers (17), Ogun (12), Oyo (12), Edo (8), Nasarawa (8), Ebonyi (7), Osun (6), Ekiti (5), Kebbi (5), Borno (4), Jigawa (3), Akwa Ibom (2) and Anambra (1).
1,145 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria;
Lagos-459
FCT-145
Kaduna-138
Plateau-80
Katsina-70
Gombe-52
Niger-31
Kano-23
Bayelsa-21
Bauchi-18
Ondo-18
Rivers-17
Ogun-12
Oyo-12
Edo-8
Nasarawa-8
Ebonyi-7
Osun-6
Ekiti-5
Kebbi-5
Borno-4
Jigawa-3
Akwa Ibom-2
Anambra-1 pic.twitter.com/CdHK9C8wGZ— NCDC (@NCDCgov) December 17, 2020
Cases have been relatively high since early December with infection rates still concentrated in Nigeria’s two hardest hit cities – Lagos and Abuja.
A breakdown of cases by state can be found via https://t.co/zQrpNeOfet#TakeResponsibility pic.twitter.com/OKQgD5PsXA
— NCDC (@NCDCgov) December 17, 2020
With the new toll, the total number of cases in the country has now increased from 75,062 to 76,207 while figure of discharged patients moved from 66,775 to 67,110.
A total of 1201 deaths have now been recorded thus far in Africa’s most populous country as one new fatality was reported in the last 24 hours.
In other news, Federal Government today said that the nation has entered a second wave of the novel COVID-19 infections.
It warned that there was the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months but also not losing the lives of the citizens.
Acting Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said this in Abuja at the joint national briefing of the task force.
According to Sirika, the events and statistics of the last two weeks within and outside Nigeria have been very mixed, with the cheering news of the COVID-19 vaccine, on one hand, while on the other hand, there has been spikes in number of infections at home and abroad.
He then urged everyone to remain conscious and adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols even during the festive season.
