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Nigeria on Monday recorded 711 cases of COVID-19 cases. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Tuesday. 

‘Poor resources hindering COVID-19 recovery in West Africa’

The Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA) says the region is facing a “chronic lack of resources” which has made it difficult to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mademba Sock, the union’s president, spoke at an event on Monday in Abuja.

“In our subregion, we are faced with a chronic lack of resources to reflate the public service at a time of a pandemic when this is needed for the type of direct cash transfers we saw in the developed western nations,” Sock said.

“We have seen how billions of dollars have been deployed by the developed western nations to buy up and stockpile hundreds of millions of vaccines against COVID-19.

“This leaves hundreds of millions of people from the developing nations with virtually none of these vaccines.”

WHO DG: COVID-19 pandemic will end when the world chooses to end it

Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), says the COVID-19 pandemic will end when the world takes concerted steps to end it.

Speaking at the World Health Summit on Sunday, Ghesbreyesus said the target to vaccinate 40 percent of the population of every country is achievable through global cooperation.

He said the global health architecture must be improved in the areas of financing, systems, better governance, and strengthening the WHO.

NLC asks FG not to force civil servants to take COVID vaccine

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the federal government not to use force in making workers take the COVID-19 vaccine.

The federal government had announced that starting from December 1, civil servants who do not show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 result will be barred from government offices.

Speaking on the development on Monday, Wabba said rather than use force, “persuasion and conviction” should be employed by the government and other employers of labour to encourage workers to get vaccinated.

He, however, advised civil servants to take the COVID-19 vaccine, noting that it has given the world a better chance of fighting the pandemic.

Nigeria records 711 infections. 

Nigeria on Monday confirmed 711 fresh COVID infections.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said the cases were reported in 14 states and the federal capital territory (FCT)

According to the agency’s data, Delta topped the chart of infections with 508 new cases, followed by Plateau with 41 and Rivers with 40.

Other states with new infections include FCT (32), Enugu (24), Lagos (19), Imo (16), Cross River (9), Ekiti (9), Abia (4), Benue (3), Kano (3), Bauchi (1), Bayelsa (1) and Ogun (1).

The NCDC said the report includes 508 confirmed cases reported from Delta for July 27 to October 13; 19 cases reported from Lagos for October 24 and 25; 41 infections reported from Plateau for October 24 and 25, and 32 confirmed cases, 67 recoveries reported from FCT between October 24 and 25.

It also includes 16 confirmed cases, 11 community recoveries reported from Imo between October 24 and 25; 24 cases reported from Enugu for October 24 and 25; 3 cases from Benue for October 23, and 4 cases, 20 recoveries from Abia for October 24.

The NCDC said 295 patients were discharged on Monday after they recovered from the infection, while two persons were said to have died of COVID complications.

To date, Nigeria has confirmed a total of 211,171 cases, 202,674 recoveries and 2,884 deaths across the country.

Europe medicine regulator backs Moderna’s COVID-19 booster vaccine shot

The European Medicine Agency (EMA) has backed the Moderna COVID-19 booster shot for 18 years and above.

The drug regulator announced this on Monday after concluding reviewing the application by Moderna.

The booster shot will be given to people who received the second dose at least six months ago.