By ABUJAH RACHEAL

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 16 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, as Kastina and Delta States recorded their first case.

NCDC, through its verified Twitter account on Tuesday Night, said that the 16 new cases of COVID-19 included 10 in Lagos, two in the FCT, two in Oyo, one each in both Delta and Katsina states.

Consequently, as at 09.30 p.m. April 7, there were 254 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the country. 44 have been discharged, while six deaths had been recorded, it said.

NCDC breakdown indicates 130 cases in Lagos; Abuja – 50, Oyo – 10; Osun – 20; Ogun – four; Kaduna-five; Enugu – two; Akwa Ibom – five; Edo – 11 and Bauchi – six.

Others are Ekiti – two; Rivers – two; Kwara – two; while Benu , Ondo, Delta and Kastina have one case.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a medical doctor based in Daura, Kastina State, Dr Aliyu Yakubu, has died just before being confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19.

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State announced this at a media briefing on Tuesday at the Government House in Katsina.

He disclosed that the doctor, who was into private practice, died three days ago in Daura, after returning from Lagos State.

According to the governor, Yakubu had been hospitalised at the Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospital for about two hours before he died.

The medical practitioner was said to have travelled to Kogi State, his home state, and spent two weeks before returning to Daura.

Masari confirmed that Yakubu’s blood samples had been taken to the National Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja for COVID-19 test and the result came out to be positive.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that chloroquine had been found in some tests to work in a test-tube to treat COVID-19.

He stated this in Lagos during the Presidential Task Force (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 in the country.

Ehanire, however, stated that it was not yet clear if Chloroquine would work as well inside the body.

He added that some people have said they have herbs and local cures for COVID-19, but the efficacy of medicine had to be proven before the government can recommend it for people to consume. (NAN)

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