By EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU

Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases have continued to rise as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday confirmed 96 fresh cases to top the country’s daily infections from the virus.

Lagos State which is the country’s COVID-19 epicentre, trails the FCT with 89 new COVID-19 infections out of the 481 cases reported for the day, according to the latest data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The new data from the agency equally indicated that Nigeria’s total COVID-19 infections now stand at 42,689 with fifteen states in the country confirming fresh cases from the pandemic.

A further peep into NCDC’s new figures showed that some newly-infected persons were found as follows: Plateau – 68; Ogun – 49; Edo – 44; Rivers – 43; Oyo – 25; Osun – 23; Delta – 15; and Enugu – 11.

Others are Kano – 7; Kaduna – 7; Bauchi – 2; Bayelsa – 1, and Yobe -1.

Since the outbreak of the disease in late February, 19,270 persons infected with the virus have been successfully treated and discharged, the NCDC data revealed, with 878 deaths reported

Although the COVID-19 infection rate has continued to soar in the West African nation, the economy is gradually being reopened just as students in exiting classes have been mandated to resume school on August 3rd, 2020.

On Thursday and in line with the Federal Government’s directive, the Taraba government asked graduating students in secondary schools in the state to resume on August 4.

It explained that this was to enable the students revise for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Riot Act

As various state governments in the country take measures to curtail the spread of the virus, the Ogun Government has read the riot act to residents of the State.

Those who do not put on face masks can earn up to six months jail term, the governor, Dapo Abiodun said on Thursday.

‘Devastating Impacts’

Earlier in his Sallah message to Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari reminded citizens to obey the COVID-19 protocols as they celebrate the season.

While admitting that the pandemic has had “devastating adverse impacts on our social, economic and spiritual lives,” the Nigerian leader asked “Muslims and other faithful to continue to show more understanding with the government.” (Channels TV)

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