By ABUJAH RACHEAL

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 1,544 new infections of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

The NCDC, on its verified website on Friday, also confirmed additional 12 coronavirus-related deaths.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the country’s daily new infections accelerated to a record high of over 1,500 cases for the third time bringing the total to 97,478.

There is now a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries.

The NCDC said that the new infections were from 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It said that Lagos state reported 739 new cases, followed by Plateau with 168 cases and the FCT with 153 cases, Oyo (91), Nasarawa (90), Rivers (80), Kaduna (35) and Edo (33).

Kano (29), Ogun (21), Delta (19), Sokoto (16), Akwa Ibom (11), Ebonyi (11), Enugu (10), Osun (10), Niger (9), Bauchi (8), Kebbi (8), Katsina (2), and Taraba (1).

The agency, however, noted that 570 patients were discharged from isolation centers across the country on Friday which include 264 and 147 community recoveries in Lagos and Plateau states.

A multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated at Level 3, is coordinating response activities nationwide.

NAN recalls that since the first case of coronavirus was reported in the country, 1,011,584 people have been tested of which 97,478 were tested positive.

Presently, the country’s active cases is 17,584, while only two states, Kogi and Cross River, have no active case of the infection as at Jan. 8.

Lagos, Kaduna and the FCT have emerged as the new epicentres during this period, with over 70 per cent of all confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has directed that with effect from Jan. 11, travelers must perform a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test not more than four days as well as show proof of payment for post-arrival test before boarding. (NAN)