The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the second death from Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the country.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this at the daily Coronavirus Presidential Task Force briefing on Monday, March 30, 2020 in Abuja.
Ehanire said that the victim, whom he did not disclose, had underlying medical conditions.
He said that three persons have also been discharged after successful treatment.
“We have intensified contact tracing and our strategy remains to promptly detect cases, isolate them, and follow up with their contacts and also isolate and treat, in order to reduce the spread of the infection.
“As of today, the 30th of March, 2020, we have recorded 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria of which 68 are in Lagos, 21 in the FCT, seven in Oyo, three in Ogun, two in Bauchi, two in Edo, two in Osun, two in Enugu, and one each in Benue, Ekiti, Kaduna and Rivers States,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria has 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19, saying a majority of them were persons who came in from overseas.
Ehanire, however disclosed that all retired but able-bodied doctors and nurses were recalled.
The minister urged Nigerians to protect the elderly among them as well as those having underlying health issues as they were the most vulnerable.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said that there would be a daily briefing on the update of COVID19 in the country.
Boss explained that the purpose was to give an update and minimise the incidence of fake news in the country.
He stressed that the briefing would be the only approved briefing of the task force, although appearances on TV by relevant members would be allowed.
The SGF disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has constituted a committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to care for the economic challenges that the situation may bring for the time being.
The SGF said that workers in the financial institutions were not included in the stay-at-home order declared by the President in his Sunday broadcast to the nation.
Former MD of PPMC Suleiman Achimugu, was the first casualty of the coronavirus in the country after returrning from the UK.
By Abujah Racheal
