BY Samuel Akpan
Nigeria on Monday recorded 65 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Tuesday.
Over 3.4 million COVID vaccine doses dispensed in Nigeria
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says 3.4 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have so far been utilised in the country.
Faisal Shuaib, executive director of NPHCDA, said this at the media briefing of the presidential steering committee (PSC) on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday.
“I am glad to inform you that 3,441,146 doses have so far been utilised for the 1st and 2nd dose vaccinations, which is approximately 88% of the total AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine stock in the country,” he said.
Shuaib said 2,265,805 people have been vaccinated with the first dose while 1,175,341 people have so far received the second dose.
Delta COVID variant not yet recorded in Nigeria
The federal government says the Delta variant of COVID-19 has not yet been discovered in Nigeria.
Boss Mustapha, chairman of the presidential steering committee (PSC) on COVID-19 and secretary to the government of the federation, said this during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.
The Delta variant of COVID-19 is known as B.1.617.2. It was first identified in India and is said to be more contagious than the UK (B.1.1.7) variant.
Australia deputy prime minister fined for not wearing face mask
Barnaby Joyce, Australia deputy prime minister, has been fined for failing to wear a face mask, breaching public health orders on COVID-19.
A member of the public called police officers to a petrol station where Joyce was spotted buying fuel without wearing a face mask.
The police said Joyce was issued a $200 fine on Monday after “inquiries revealed a 54-year-old man was not wearing a face mask while in the store”.
Joyce sanction adds to the list of government officials across the world who have been fined or forced to resign for violating COVID-19 protocol.
Nigeria records 65 infections
The number of COVID-19 infections recorded in Nigeria surged on Monday as the country recorded 65 new cases.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed the new infections in its update for June 28.
The latest positive cases of COVID-19 were recorded in five states according to the agency.
The states that recorded new infections are Lagos (44), Yobe (10), Rivers (5), Oyo (4), and Kano (2).
The NCDC said Monday’s report includes data from Lagos state — with 14 and 30 for June 27 and 28.
Thirty-five persons were discharged on Monday after recovering from the infection, raising the number of recoveries to 163,984.
The agency reported zero deaths from COVID-19 on Monday.
This keeps the number of fatalities in the country at 2,119.
A total of 167,532 coronavirus infections have now been confirmed across Nigeria.
Booster shot of Oxford vaccine produces strong immune response
A study at Oxford University says a third dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine produces a strong immune response.
According to the study, a third shot of the vaccine increases antibody and T-cell immune responses.
The researchers, however, said the third shot may not be necessary as a result of scarcity of the vaccine.
Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group, said the vaccine protects against current variants for a sustained period of time and the booster may not be needed.
“We do have to be in a position where we could boost if it turned out that was necessary … (but) we don’t have any evidence that that is required,” he said.
“At this point with a high level of protection in the UK population and no evidence of that being lost, to give third doses now in the UK whilst other countries have zero doses is not acceptable.”
COVID-19 IN NIGERIA
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