Kano records 12 cases as Nigeria’s coronavirus cases surge to 407

Nigeria has reported thirty-four new cases of coronavirus, taking the total of confirmed cases to 407.

128 patients have been discharged with 12 deaths recorded.

This was confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on its official Twitter handle, @NCDCgov on Wednesday.

The NCDC noted that Kano recorded 12 new cases, bringing its number of cases to 16.

“Thirty-four new cases of #COVID19 have been reported as follows: 18 Lagos, 12 in Kano, 2 in Katsina, 1 in Delta and 1 in Niger. As at 11:20 pm 15th April there are 407 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 128 have been discharged with 12 deaths,” the NCDC tweeted.

READ: 28-yr-old pregnant nurse dies from coronavirus, but baby survived

Kano state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa had earlier on Wednesday announced five cases on the official Twitter handle of the ministry @KNSMOH.

“As at 10:25am five additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Kano state,” the tweet read.

Thirty-four new cases of #COVID19 have been reported as follows:

18 Lagos
12 in Kano
2 in Katsina
1 in Delta
1 in Niger

As at 11:20 pm 15th April there are 407 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 128 have been discharged with 12 deaths#TakeResponsibility pic.twitter.com/oxM9pVb9QQ

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 15, 2020

Kano is the most populated state in Nigeria according to the census conducted in 2006.

The index case of COVID-19  was confirmed in the state on Saturday.

There are 19 states and the FCT with confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Nigeria.  

Lagos-232, FCT- 58, Osun- 20, Kano- 16, Edo- 15, Oyo- 11, Ogun- 9, Katsina- 7, Bauchi- 6 ,Kaduna- 6, and Akwa Ibom- 6.

Others are Kwara- 4, Delta- 4, Ondo- 3. Enugu- 2. Ekiti- 2. Rivers-2, Niger- 2, Benue- 1 and  Anambra- 1.

Meanwhile the United States recorded 2,228 deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic over the past 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University as of 8:30 pm Tuesday (0030 GMT Wednesday).

The number of fatalities was a sharp increase after two days in decline, and beat the previous high of 2,108 on April 10.

The outbreak has now claimed the lives of at least 25,757 people in the US, the most of any country.

But President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that swaths of the United States could lift coronavirus shutdowns “very soon” and said he could see “rays of light” on the horizon for the world’s largest economy.

Meanwhile Trump announced Tuesday a suspension of US funding to the World Health Organization because he said it had covered up the seriousness of the COVID-19 outbreak in China before it spread around the world.

Trump told a press conference he was instructing his administration to halt funding while “a review is conducted to assess the World Health Organization’s role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”

According to Trump, the WHO prevented transparency over the outbreak and the United States — the UN body’s biggest funder which provided $400 million last year — will now “discuss what we do with all that money that goes to the WHO.”

“With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible.”

Trump’s attack on the WHO reflects his belief that the organization is biased toward China and colluded to prevent the United States’ main economic rival from having to be open about the unfolding health disaster.

He says this cost other countries crucial time to prepare and delayed decisions to stop international travel.

“The WHO’s attack on travel restrictions put political correctness above life-saving measures,” he said.

“Had the WHO done its job to get medical experts into China to objectively assess the situation on the ground and to call out China’s lack of transparency, the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death,” he said.

“This would have saved thousands of lives and avoided worldwide economic damage. Instead, the WHO willingly took China’s assurances to face value… and defended the actions of the Chinese government,” he said.

Critics have pointed out that for weeks after the coronavirus epidemic began unfolding, Trump frequently praised Beijing’s response and downplayed the danger it posed at home. (AFP)