By ABUJAH RACHEAL

Densely-populated Lagos State is driving Nigeria’s COVID-19 surge as the country registered 1,584 new infections on Friday.

Lagos, the smallest state in Nigeria has a land mass of 1,171.28 square kilometres and an estimated population of between 17.5 million and 21 million as of 2020.

About 6,871 people live in every square kilometre of Lagos State according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said on Saturday that out of the 1,584 new infections recorded on Friday, Lagos State, the nation’s epicentre recorded 906 cases.

This shows an increase of 307 infections when compared with the 599 cases the state recorded on Thursday.

The FCT and Rivers recorded 258 and 217 new infections, respectively on Friday while Edo and Oyo states recorded 85 cases and 50 cases respectively.

Ogun State recorded 16 cases; Ondo (14), Bayelsa (12), Osun (10), Bauchi (9) and Kano (7).

NCDC stated also that Friday’s 1,584 infections brought Nigeria’s tally to 222,655, with 211,373 persons treated and discharged.

Friday’s figure indicated an increase of 533 over Thursday’s 1,051 cases.

NCDC stated that it also recorded a COVID-19 death on Friday raising Nigeria’s mortality figure to the infection to 2,984.

It added that Nigeria had conducted 3,686,403 tests since the virus was announced on Feb. 27, 2020. (NAN)

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