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Nigeria on Tuesday recorded 655 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Wednesday. 

FG approves Sinopharm COVID vaccine

Faisal Shuaib, executive director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in Nigeria.

Shuaib disclosed this on Tuesday at a media briefing in Abuja.

The approval of the Sinopharm vaccine comes weeks after NAFDAC approved the Moderna and Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use in Nigeria.

France health regulator backs COVID vaccine booster shot

France Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) says it recommended a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for people aged 65 and above and for those with medical conditions.

The health regulator said this in a statement on Tuesday, adding that the COVID vaccine booster shots will be rolled out from the end of October.

“After analyzing the available data, the HAS offers a booster dose with an mRNA vaccine for people 65 years of age and over, as well as for people with comorbidities that increase the risk of severe forms of COVID-19. This booster dose should be administered at least 6 months after the complete primary vaccination,” HAS said in a statement.

Switzerland hit by ‘worrying’ fourth COVID wave

Switzerland says it is facing a “very worrying” fourth wave of COVID-19 infections.

Patrick Mathys, head of the government crisis, office for public health, said this on Tuesday.

He said the country now sees between 2,500 and 3,000 infections per day.

“The current situation should be seen as unfavourable and to some extent very worrying. We have to describe the current situation as the fourth wave,” Mathys said.

Nigeria records 655 COVID infections 

Nigeria has recorded 655 cases of COVID-19 in eight states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported the new cases in its update for August 24, 2021.

Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic in the country, recorded the highest cases with 288, followed by Rivers with 188, and Oyo with 64.

Other states that recorded positive cases are Akwa Ibom (31), FCT (28), Ekiti (21), Edo (17), Bayelsa (11) and Kaduna (7).

The agency said 217 persons were discharged on Tuesday after recovering from the infection.

The NCDC said five people died as a result of COVID-19 complications, raising the death toll to 2,281 deaths.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 188, 243 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed while 169,035 patients have recovered from the virus.

Lagos approves 183 COVID vaccination sites

The Lagos ministry of health has approved 183 sites for the administration of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said those eligible to receive the vaccine are persons aged 18 years and above, who have not been previously vaccinated.

The list of the 183 vaccination sites can be found here.

COVID-19 IN NIGERIA