TheCable

Nigeria on Thursday reported 247 cases of COVID-19. Here are five updates about the pandemic this Friday. 

WHO: Global COVID death toll of health workers estimated at over 100,000

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says over 100,000 health workers are estimated to have died of COVID-19 between January 2020 and May 2021.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said the pandemic has shown the significance of health workers and that vaccination for them needs to be prioritised.

“The pandemic is a powerful demonstration of just how much we rely on health workers, and how vulnerable we all are when the people who protect our health are themselves unprotected,” he said.

“A new WHO working paper estimates that 115,000 health workers may have died from COVID-19 between January 2020 and May 2021. That is why health workers must be prioritised for vaccination.”

EU drug regulator to decide on Moderna COVID booster shot next week

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) says the results of its review of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster shot will be announced next week.

Marco Cavaleri, EMA head of vaccine strategy, disclosed at a news briefing on Thursday that the results of the review will be announced on October 25.

The Moderna COVID vaccine booster is expected to be used for people 12 years and above who received the second dose six months ago.

Nerve disorder added as rare side-effect of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine in UK

The United Kingdom (UK) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has added an extremely rare nerve-damaging disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The development comes about a month after the EU drug regulator added GBS to the list of possible side-effect of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.

US asks WTO members to support intellectual property waiver for COVID vaccines

The White House has asked all members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to support an intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, said this will expand the production of COVID vaccines.

“We need every WTO member to step up as well and support an intellectual property waiver, and every company must act ambitiously and urgently to expand manufacturing now,” Jean-Pierre said.

Nigeria records 247 COVID cases

Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases rose by 47.9 percent on Thursday.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said 247 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in 14 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) — the agency had reported 167 infections on Wednesday.

According to the NCDC, the states that recorded the fresh infections are Plateau (49), FCT (46), Kano (29), Lagos (27), and Kaduna (26).

Others are Gombe (14), Bauchi (11), Cross River (11), Kwara (11), Rivers (9), Ondo (8), Niger (2), Oyo (2), Edo (1), Ekiti (1).

The agency said 302 patients recovered from the infection on Thursday.

Ten persons were reported to have died of COVID complications.