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EKO HOT BLOG reports that about 132 persons have so far died of Lassa fever in 2022 year, the federal government has said.
Government also faulted report of increase in COVID-19 cases to 45 per cent in the last few weeks, insisting that the report was completely false.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, who disclosed this during his ministry’s bi-weekly press briefing in Abuja yesterday, said while 132 persons have so far died of Lassa fever this year, 3, 746 suspected and 691 confirmed cases had also been confirmed in 23 states.
Mamora, who raised alarm that Lassa fever cases were increasing in the country, put the fatality rate at 19.1 percent, adding that there was an increase in COVID-19 cases in Lagos State, while there is a significant reduction in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him,Kaduna, Kwara and Rivers states are witnessing low cases of the disease.
He said data from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, indicated that 60 per cent of those who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine returned to take the second dose.
Also speaking on COVID-19 response in the country, the minister said as at April 10, 2022, i4,969,571 million persons had been tested for COVID-19, using either Polymerase Chain Reaction or Rapid Diagnostic Test.
“He said there had been increase in Lagos State, decline in FCT, stability in three states of Kaduna, Kwara and Rivers, while others could not be ascertained.“Mamora said: “As at April 11, 2022, reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, revealed that about 255,468 Nigerians had tested positive to the virus, while there are 2,719 active cases.
Similarly, he said 249,607 persons had been treated and discharged, while 3,142 lost their lives.
COVID-19 safety measures have also been revised with effect from April 2022 which include Mask wearing in enclosed environments is strongly recommended, personal discretion is advised in open places, among others”.
“The Federal Government has also commenced planning on the inauguration of scaling up sequencing at the end of April, 2022.
“The NPHCDA has confirmed that Nationally, 60 per cent of People that have received their first dose have returned to take their second doses and that the NPHCDA is making conscious efforts to reduce wastage rates of vaccine minimally by ensuring that all forms of hesitancy are handled and people complete their doses.
“Some of the strategies employed to curb vaccine wastage are the Service Integration Strategy and also innovations which has yielded positive results so far.
“Despite all efforts, a lot still has to be done to reach the 50% eligible population vaccinated by second quarter of the year 2022.
The total number of eligible population fully vaccinated with first and second dose as at 10th April, 2022 is 13,588,718, while for first dose is 23,012,700 and for 2? dose is 10,727,259 of the total eligible population targeted which is 111,776,503.
“Point of entry records shows that there has been high compliance of PCR result on arrival at inbounds states especially in Lagos and Abuja and a negligible number of passengers that seek for PCR test on arrival.“
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“However, little resistance has been noticed in Kano and Enugu with passengers not wanting to pay for their PCR test. 91.3% has been recorded for travel permit compliance in Lagos while FCT is following closely with 71.17%. Also, there hasn’t been any positive cases recorded for COVID-19 PCR test at the oil platforms”,he said
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