TheCable

Nigeria on Monday recorded 35 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Tuesday. 

Hong Kong mortuaries hit capacity as COVID fatalities surge

Officials in Hong Kong say facilities for storing dead bodies at hospitals and public mortuaries are at maximum capacity owing to the surge in COVID-19 fatalities.

Hong Kong had sought the assistance of China to help tackle its high record of COVID cases and deaths.

“The storage space in hospital mortuaries has reached full capacity,” Tony Ling, head of the city’s Public Doctors Association,” told Reuters.

“These bodies now need extra time to wait for collection because resources are just so tight.”

NCDC: COVID has created opportunities for health security 

Ifedayo Adetifa, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), says the COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for investment in health security.

Adetifa said this in a statement chronicling the country’s two years of COVID-19 response. Nigeria recorded its index case of COVID-19 in February 2020.

“This has provided opportunities for prioritising health on the political agenda and attracting the required future investment in health security,” he said.

“We all have the responsibility to encourage and continue to hold authorities accountable to sustain interest and investment in healthcare in general and particularly for health security.

“In the last five years, several efforts have been made towards improving our health system, as well as increased investment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the pandemic, the NCDC supported the establishment of infectious disease treatment centres, molecular laboratories, and public health emergency operation centres in all States, and provided equipment required for critical care in hospitals e.g., dialysis machines.”

NPHCDA advises Nigerians to get vaccinated

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has advised Nigerians to take advantage of the government COVID vaccination campaign.

Faisal Shuaib, executive director of NPHCDA, said all vaccination centres are open to Nigerians who are 18 and above.

“It is important that we protect ourselves and our loved ones by getting the jab. Our vaccination exercise was expanded to enable all eligible persons to have easier access,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“All vaccination sites are open to eligible persons, 18 years and above for first, second and booster doses. We call on Nigerians to avail themselves of this opportunity in the ongoing mass vaccination exercise to get vaccinated against COVID-19.”

Shuaib said the agency will prioritise the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in remote areas because of logistics problems.

“This is because the J &J vaccine requires only a single dose for full vaccination. This way our health workers will be able to do what is called a ‘touch and go’ without comprising their safety,” he said.

Nigeria logs 35 infections

Thirty-five new cases of COVID-19 has been reported across the country.

The infections were logged in seven states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

A breakdown of the infection as reported by the NCDC is presented below:

Rivers-14
Imo-6
Lagos-4
FCT-3
Kwara-3
Bayelsa-2
Plateau-2
Akwa Ibom-1

The agency’s data showed 66 persons were discharged after they recovered from the infection.

No COVID fatality was recorded on Monday.

The NCDC said Monday’s report includes a backlog of one case and 23 recoveries in Akwa Ibom state logged between February 21 to 27.

The agency said it also includes 35 community discharges in the FCT and three community recoveries in Imo.

Following the new infections recorded on Monday, Nigeria now has a total of 254,560 COVID cases, 249,079 recoveries and 3,142 fatalities.

US asks agencies to ease federal employee mask rules