Coalition Against COVID donates ₦1.4bn equipment to NCDC + More Coronavirus Updates

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday, July 6, announced that there are 575 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in the country.

A breakdown of the new cases across different states in the country is as follows: Lagos-123, FCT-100, Delta-58, Edo-52, Ogun-42, Katsina-24, Bayelsa-23, Rivers-22, Borno-19, Plateau-18, Ondo-18, Oyo-17, Kwara-15, Osun-13, Enugu-9, Nasarawa-7, Abia-6, Cross River-5, Kaduna-3,Ekiti-1.

There are now 29,286 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country and 654 deaths have been recorded. 11,828 patients who recovered have also been discharged.

A breakdown of cases by state can be found via https://t.co/zQrpNeOfet#TakeResponsibility pic.twitter.com/EJWf8DQk2v

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) July 6, 2020

CACOVID donates ₦1.4bn equipment to NCDC

The private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has donated ₦1.4bn worth of medical supplies and additional 26,400 test kits sufficient to set up six fully functional COVID-19 medical laboratories to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), according to Punch.

CACOVID said in a statement on Sunday that the donation was part of its efforts to boost COVID-19 testing across the country.

Presenting the test kits and medical equipment at the NCDC, Lagos office, the Chief Executive Officer, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou said,

On behalf of COCAVID, we are delighted to hand over the following items to you – MicPCR Realtime PCR Systems; RNA extraction kits; well PCR tube strips; well semi-skirted PCR plates; pipette tips; oral and nasal swab sets; tongue depressors, viral transport media; and disposable latex medical gloves, among others. These items can sufficiently set up six medical laboratories and collect samples for over 26,400 people.

Receiving the items in Lagos, the Deputy Director, NCDC, Lagos office, Babatunde Olajumoke said,

On behalf of the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, we want to thank you for your help in strengthening national COVID-19 response. We acknowledge and applaud your contributions.The capacity to test is very integral to the success of COVID-19 response by confirming, isolating, managing cases and containing outbreak in communities.The NCDC DG had earlier communicated plans to expand testing to three million people in three months, and donations like this will surely help in achieving this goal.

CACOVID said the donation came after the recent inauguration of a 150-bed isolation centre in Yaba, Lagos, one of the 38 isolation centres set up across the nation to provide adequate treatment to those infected by the virus and stop the overall spread of the virus within the state.

Akeredolu recovers from COVID-19

After days in self-isolation, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has tested negative for COVID-19.

Akeredolu confirmed the development in a weekly press briefing on Monday and also shared a statement via Twitter. See the tweet below:

Today I delivered my weekly #COVIDー19 briefing in person after receiving news this morning that I tested Negative for Covid. I am grateful for all your support and prayers. We will win the Covid 19 fight in Ondo State. #Thread pic.twitter.com/nzCACEfZUX

— Arakunrin Akeredolu (@RotimiAkeredolu) July 6, 2020

India now has over 700,000 Coronavirus cases and 20,000 deaths

India recorded 22,252 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, raising the country’s total to 719,665 confirmed cases and 20,160 deaths, according to the health ministry, CNN reports

This is the fifth consecutive day that the daily new number of infections has increased by more than 20,000 in India.

The new figures come a day after India surged past Russia to become the third hardest-hit country worldwide by the virus, following the US and Brazil in highest case numbers.

More than 439,000 people have so far recovered from the virus, according to the ministry.

620 people die of coronavirus in a day in Brazil

On Monday, Brazil reported 620 new deaths from coronavirus, raising the country’s death toll to 65,480, CNN reports.

Brazil’s health ministry also recorded 20,229 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total to 1,623,284 cases.

The new figures come as cities around the country start to reopen.