? NCDC on alert as COVID-19 deaths rise in UK

? Medical experts urge testing, caution

Forty-two-year-old Lagos resident, Kabir Adeoye, has been battling persistent fever and related symptoms despite completing several rounds of treatment.

Adeoye, who initially assumed he had contracted malaria, began experiencing fever, chills, and sweating about two weeks ago.

He took antimalarial medication and travelled briefly to Kano, expecting to recover.

But a week later, Adeoye was still shivering, sweating, and burning up internally.

?Despite completing my medications, I still felt the same way and wondered if the drugs no longer worked,? he told Saturday PUNCH.

Frustrated, Adeoye tried self-medication, switching brands, and even combining drugs, but nothing worked.

His palms and feet felt as though they were on fire, and his confusion grew daily.

When herbal remedies seemed like the last option, he decided to give them a try.

That night, the situation took an unexpected turn when he returned from work.

?When I got home, my wife told me our two children were also running a fever, coughing, and had catarrh. I was shocked, and it was past midnight. We rushed them to the hospital, where they were diagnosed with malaria,? he stated.

The diagnosis puzzled him.

Kabir emphasized that he prides himself in maintaining a clean home and regularly fumigated his home to keep mosquitoes at bay.

?So, how could they have malaria all of a sudden?? he asked.

The doctor advised further tests for malaria and flu, even though he had already completed a full malaria treatment.

The results left him more confused than ever.

?It has never happened to me, let alone my entire family,? Adeoye said.

For another Lagos resident, who only gave her name as Amusan, the first sign of illness came in the second week of September.

She told Saturday PUNCH that what began as a dry, itchy throat soon developed into a prolonged cough.

?It all started with a persistent cough that I couldn?t explain. But that was not the first symptom. A few days earlier, I had been dealing with a very dry throat that felt sore. To prevent it from worsening, I bought some menthol and throat tablets. After all, who wants to live with a sore throat? It is one of those dreadful ailments I absolutely dislike,? the banker recounted.

The menthol sweets helped temporarily. The soreness subsided, and she returned to work, thinking the worst was over.

But soon after, the cough returned in full force; dry, throaty, and unrelenting.

It coincided with her annual medical check-up under her Health Maintenance Organization plan.

While undergoing routine tests, including a chest X-ray, fasting blood sugar, urinalysis, stool analysis, and full blood count, her phone rang.

It was a colleague, also ?coughing badly? and struggling to speak.

The coincidence unsettled her.

?I told her I was experiencing the same thing, where my voice had even become rough. We both concluded that it must be a passing infection and decided to get some medication for it,? Amusan said.

However, the cough intensified, and catarrh and cold soon followed.

At work, colleagues sitting nearby began complaining, fearing infection.

?They were worried that I might infect them since colds spread easily in the office. I even approached my boss to ask for some days off, which was granted,? she said.

On her way home that evening, Amusan stopped at another hospital, seeking relief and interpretation of her earlier test results.

The doctor prescribed another round of medication after reviewing her results.

?Unfortunately, the cold refused to go away. The cough subsided a bit, but my nose kept running even after I had finished the prescribed medication. I eventually bought another set of tablets to self-medicate. This entire ordeal lasted for more than a week,? she recalled.

Over the weekend, she received a call from the same colleague, who suggested, ?It might be COVID-19, given the symptoms we both have.?

She initially dismissed the idea, not wanting to be completely isolated.

Still, the suggestion lingered in her mind.

?At one point, I even worried that it could truly be COVID-19, especially after seeing reports of new cases on X in parts of the U.S. and the U.K., countries from which many people travel to Nigeria daily. I just hope it isn?t what I?m fearing,? she said.

To aid her recovery, she turned to home remedies such as ginger and honey, steam inhalation with menthol ointment, and dietary supplements.

?Thankfully, all of these worked wonders. I am still taking zinc and vitamin C, but I still have a lingering cold,? she said.

Growing anxiety amid familiar symptoms

Adeoye and Amusan?s experiences are far from isolated.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that lately, waiting areas in some general hospitals, primary health centres, and private hospitals in Lagos have become crowded with mothers carrying coughing children, young men sniffled behind face masks, and elderly patients clutched handkerchiefs as they waited to be attended to.

A nurse at one of the primary health centres in Oshodi, who spoke on condition of anonymity as she was not permitted to speak to the media, said, ?For the past two weeks, we have had a steady stream of patients with persistent coughs and fevers. It feels just like 2020 all over again when COVID-19 broke out.

?The symptoms now seem worse, given the number we are seeing. What we used to see as the common cold years ago is nothing like this. Look at the people outside, they are all here to see a doctor. Honestly, I really do not know what is happening.?

At the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, a doctor, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said he had also been experiencing similar symptoms.

?This illness began on Friday, October 10. Since then, I had to isolate myself to avoid infecting others. The symptoms are very similar to those I experienced during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

?I have lost my sense of taste completely, have a persistent metallic taste in my mouth, and am still battling cold and flu-like symptoms,? he told Saturday PUNCH.

The doctor admitted that the persistence of the illness had left him anxious.

?Honestly, I don?t feel any better. My mouth remains tasteless, and it is becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I plan to get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible because I don?t want to put my family at risk. But the question is: where are the collection centres?? he queried.

He urged the Federal Government to intensify screening at airports and borders.

?The government really needs to take stronger action regarding travellers coming into the country, especially from places where COVID-19 cases are still being reported. Preventive measures at the borders can help reduce the chances of reintroducing the virus into our communities,? he added.

Doctors raise concerns

A consultant family physician at LASUTH, Dr. Oluwajimi Sodipo, confirmed an upsurge in upper respiratory infections among Lagos residents.

?We have seen an increase in the number of people presenting with upper respiratory infections such as runny noses, headaches, and fever. Sometimes, the fever is low-grade; other times, it is very high,? he said.

Sodipo explained that many patients have been presenting with identical symptoms across different healthcare facilities.

?This seems to be gradually increasing, and many people are worried, especially about COVID-19, given our past experiences,? he said.

According to the physician, while some cases may be mild viral infections, the similarities to COVID-19 are undeniable.

?The symptoms are almost identical to COVID-19. We have respiratory tract infections, many of them viral in origin, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus,? he explained.

Sodipo agreed that heightened surveillance is critical but advised the public not to panic.

?What we are seeing could be the interplay of several viral infections. People must not self-medicate but instead present themselves to hospitals for proper testing. It is better to know what you are treating than to assume it is malaria or typhoid.

?During COVID-19, one of the things that helped reduce the surge was the advent of the vaccine. We must continue educating people on its importance and strengthen surveillance at airports, seaports, and land borders,? he added.

Pharmacies overwhelmed by demand

Across Lagos, pharmacies are reporting a dramatic rise in sales of cold and flu medications.

At NUKAI Pharmacy in Ogba, pharmacist Chinedu Osita said the trend had become overwhelming.

?In the past month, we have seen a large number of people coming in to buy medication for cough, catarrh, and cold. Previously, we usually had one or two customers a week for such tablets, but since September, the number has increased drastically,? he told Saturday PUNCH.

He added that the surge had strained supply chains.

?People now come in large groups. We even sold out our entire stock and had to place additional orders from our suppliers,? he said.

Another pharmacist in Idi-Araba, Aliu Abdulhafiz, echoed the same concern.

?The number of people coming here now is higher than what we used to experience before. At least 15 people come daily to get tablets for these symptoms, and at times, we even run out of stock. The rise in demand has forced suppliers to increase the prices of all cold and flu medications,? he stated.

He listed some of the most requested drugs as Chlorphenamine, Septrin, Procold, Mixagrip, and Flu-J, among others.

?If heavy rainfall can still occur at this time of the year, then it is a clear sign that climate change is real,? he said.

A pharmacist at Boluke Pharmacy, Ikeja, described the notable rise in cold, cough, and flu cases as ?unusual and worrisome.?

The pharmacist, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said the surge began around August and September 2025, and had since overtaken malaria as one of the most common complaints among customers.

?Previously, most cases we handled were hypertension and diabetes, then malaria. Those were the majority. But starting from August and September 2025, we have been seeing a large number of cold and cough cases. They now outnumber complaints of malaria,? she said.

According to the pharmacist, many customers initially thought they had malaria until further questioning revealed symptoms consistent with cold or flu.

?Many people who come complaining of malaria, when we check their symptoms, actually need cold medication. Sometimes, they claim to have malaria while also showing signs of cold. On some days, my branch alone records over 20 of such cases. We have nine branches in total, and this pattern is repeated across most of them,? she said.

The pharmacist noted that entire families are now reporting similar symptoms, suggesting widespread household transmission.

?Sometimes, a mother will come and say, ?I have cough and cold, my husband too, and my children as well?. So, you can see how widespread it is,? she said.

The pharmacist noted that with reports of a new variant of COVID-19 circulating abroad, pharmacists now advise customers to seek proper medical testing.

?We ask them to visit a hospital for testing because we cannot take any risks again. It is becoming scary,? she said.

The pharmacist also shared a personal concern, citing a family member?s prolonged illness despite treatment.

?My aunt had been treating a cough and cold after we initially treated her for malaria. She took cough medicine and antibiotics that should help, but she?s still unwell.

?This ailment is spreading faster than we think. You?ll treat someone for malaria or typhoid, and it?s not like they have tuberculosis. How can someone be dealing with a cough and cold for more than a month? It is serious, and the government needs to look into it,? she added.

Nigeria endangered, virologists warn

A virologist, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, warned that government complacency and poor surveillance were putting the country at risk of preventable disease outbreaks.

Tomori, a former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, said the neglect of health monitoring systems and porous borders had weakened the country?s ability to detect and contain infectious diseases.

?Whenever I check the WHO COVID report, it?s like we have abandoned it and forgotten that it?s there. How many of the labs that were testing for COVID are still functioning today?? he told Saturday PUNCH.

He cited a recent incident in which a traveller from Rwanda, who showed symptoms similar to Lassa fever, entered the country undetected.

?We missed the person at the entrance. It was because the person went to report sick that we actually got to know he had entered. If he had gone to a private hospital that doesn?t report to the government, we wouldn?t have known,? he said.

The professor described Nigeria?s borders as dangerously porous, warning that a more serious case could easily slip through.

The virologist emphasized that the same negligence was evident in the approach to the coming flu season.

?The WHO warned ahead of time about the flu season, but we don?t listen to warnings until it overwhelms us,? he said.

An Infectious Disease Physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Iorhen Akase, raised concern over the rise in cases of cough and flu in Lagos, which he linked to poor disease surveillance and inadequate investment in testing facilities.

Akase said the recent change in weather triggered the spread of several viral infections, but the specific virus responsible for the current wave of respiratory symptoms remained unknown due to a lack of active surveillance.

He said, ?There?s a high likelihood that different kinds of viruses are circulating now. This pattern of cough and cold is in keeping with viral infections. The question is which virus is causing it? The answer is what we don?t know.

?It is difficult to make a diagnosis when we are not routinely screening and having surveillance. Surveillance refers to actively searching for diseases, determining their exact causes, and tracking their movement across populations, but clearly, this is not something we are doing.?

He explained that the country?s healthcare response often depended on visible crises rather than proactive detection.

?As long as people are still going to work with mild coughs or taking a few days off, nobody really knows what?s going on because diagnosis is not being made,? he said.

According to him, most Nigerians with cough, cold and flu symptoms neither visit hospitals nor get tested, making it impossible to determine the actual cause of the infections.

He attributed the country?s inability to test for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses to the collapse of testing capacity after the pandemic.

Akase warned that Nigeria lacked the capacity to test for COVID-19, noting that even rapid test kits were no longer readily available.

?It could be COVID, it could be another viral infection, we don?t know. Unfortunately, some of these cases could be fatal while being misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid,? he said.

Sample centres converted to labs

Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that COVID-19 sample collection centres in Ikeja have been shut down and converted into full-fledged laboratories.

During visits to Reddington Zainelab, 54gene, Medbury Medical Services, MeCure Healthcare, Clina Lancet Laboratories, Afriglobal Medicare Limited, and SYNLAB Nigeria, it was discovered that none currently conduct COVID-19 sample collection.

An attendant at one of the centres, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the centres had ceased operations for some time.

?The collection centres are no longer working. Even if you go to other centres, you will find they are now full-time laboratories,? she said.

The attendant added that public demand for COVID-19 testing had dropped significantly since 2023.

?Here, we no longer collect samples, and the last time we had someone come here was in 2023. People now just visit for other services,? she explained.

According to her, occasional inquiries about COVID-19 testing still occur, but the services are no longer offered.

?As of yesterday (Tuesday, October 14, 2025), a foreigner came asking for a COVID-19 test. I told him we don?t provide that service here anymore. He insisted he had symptoms similar to those during the pandemic,? she said.

A supervisor at Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, also confirmed the hospital had closed its COVID-19 sample collection centre.

?At the moment, we no longer have a sample collection centre here,? the supervisor stated.

NCDC on alert over COVID-19 rise

The NCDC revealed it is aware of rising cases of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Jide Idris, told Saturday PUNCH that the agency was closely monitoring the situation, especially amid concerns about a wave of flu-like illnesses in Lagos.

He explained that while COVID-19 activities in Nigeria remain low, the NCDC had intensified surveillance and preparedness measures to prevent resurgence.

?The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is aware of the recent global increase in respiratory infections, including rising COVID-19 cases in the US and UK. We also acknowledge concerns regarding the persistent wave of flu-like illnesses in Lagos State, especially given the state?s status as Nigeria?s primary international travel hub.

?Our teams are monitoring trends in respiratory illnesses through the Influenza Sentinel Surveillance Network and sequencing all positive COVID-19 samples to detect emerging variants early,? he said.

Idris added that surveillance had been strengthened at all ports of entry, including land borders, seaports, and airports, in collaboration with Port Health Services.

?Travellers entering Nigeria are encouraged to complete the Health Declaration Form via the Nigeria International Travel Portal,? he said.

He advised the public to remain vigilant and maintain preventive measures such as hand hygiene, proper cough etiquette, and the use of face masks in crowded areas.

?We encourage prompt testing and care when symptoms develop and remind high-risk groups to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations,? Idris added.

Efforts to reach Nigeria?s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, for comment were unsuccessful on Thursday.

Text messages sent to them were also not replied to as of the time of filing this report.

Across Europe, Asia, and North America, health authorities are warning of overlapping outbreaks of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses.

The United Kingdom is experiencing a fresh surge in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths as winter approaches.

According to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency, 3,206 cases were recorded in the first week of October 2025, representing a 19 per cent rise from the previous week.

The positive test rate climbed to 12.2 per cent, indicating growing community transmission.

The data also shows hospital admissions rose to 2,077 by September 30, a 9.7 per cent increase, while weekly deaths rose to 87.

With 13 additional deaths, the number of casualties was updated to 100 by Friday, representing 14.9 per cent increase.

The UK Government warned that new COVID-19 variants were still circulating and urged residents to remain cautious and take up vaccinations.

?It is normal and expected for viruses to change over time. Current variants, like previous ones, spread easily through droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks,? the health security agency stated.

The government added that symptoms of the new variants often resembled the common cold, with patients reporting sore throats, hoarse voices, fatigue, and congestion. Some described the sore throat as feeling like ?razor blades.?

People aged 75 and above, care home residents, and those with weakened immune systems remain eligible for the autumn booster.

Authorities also expressed concern about rising flu cases, warning that influenza continues to pose a serious threat during winter.

Data showed that last winter, flu was linked to about 8,000 deaths, more than double the 3,500 deaths recorded the previous year, though lower than the 16,000 fatalities during the 2022?2023 season.

New COVID-19 strain in US states

Also, a new strain of COVID-19, known as XFG or Stratus, is driving a fresh wave of coronavirus infections across 19 states in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

NewsNation also reported that the 19 states are experiencing ?high? or ?very high? levels of the XFG variant.

On its website, the CDC stated that since Saturday, September 20, 2025, the following states have recorded the highest levels of COVID-19 viral activity: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington.

The World Health Organization stated on its website that the Stratus variant was first detected in Southeast Asia in January 2025 and had spread to at least 38 countries by June.

Health experts explained that Stratus has mutated in a way that allows it to evade immune defences more effectively than its predecessor, the Nimbus variant, which was known for causing severe ?razor blade? sore throat symptoms.

Stony Brook Medicine, the academic medical centre of Stony Brook University in New York, also noted on its website: ?Stratus may be harder for the body to fight off, particularly for individuals who are unvaccinated or have not had a previous infection.?

Hospitals across major Indian cities are equally reporting a sharp increase in influenza cases over the past three weeks, with doctors noting that patients were taking longer than usual to recover.

According to The Times of India, many patients are presenting with high fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and weakness.

While most cases are mild, some patients require hospital care due to complications or prolonged recovery.

At Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, Delhi, the trend is similar.

The Director of Internal Medicine, Dr. Rommel Tickoo, said, ?In the past two weeks, more than half of the patients visiting the out-patient department with fever have exhibited flu-like symptoms. H3N2 appears to be the predominant strain.?

A Senior Consultant of Internal Medicine, Dr. Arvind Aggarwal, added, ?We are currently treating about 15 to 18 flu patients daily. Most present with high fever, sore throat, cough, congestion, and sometimes gastrointestinal infections. While most recover within a week, weakness and cough may linger for up to two weeks. A small fraction, particularly the elderly, young children, and those with heart or lung disease, may develop serious symptoms requiring hospitalization.?

Meanwhile, Reuters reported on October 14 that around 6,000 students in Malaysia have been infected with influenza, prompting the closure of some schools to protect children and staff. (Saturday PUNCH)

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