Warns churches against reckless exhibition of immunity
Nigeria yesterday recorded 544 fresh cases of the coronavirus disease in 19 states and the FCT bringing the total to 28,711.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said in its late night update that Lagos recorded 199 of new cases , Ebonyi – 65, Oyo – 47, Ondo – 46, Ogun – 31, Edo – 30, , FCT – 28, Katsina – 25, Plateau – 15, Bayelsa – 11, Kaduna – 10, Adamawa – 10, Akwa Ibom – 8, Kano – 4, Taraba – 3, Rivers – 2, Abia – 2, and Ekiti 1.
The agency also said 11 deaths from the disease were recorded.
“Till date, 28, 711 cases have been confirmed, 11, 665 cases have been discharged and 645 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” the NCDC added.
So far, the NCDC has tested 151, 121 samples since the disease was first reported in Nigeria on February 27, 2020.
As of the time of the NCDC’s update, there were 16,401 active cases of COVID-19 in the country and 11,665 recoveries.
A breakdown of the 28,711 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 11, 244 cases, followed by FCT – 2,181, Oyo – 1,513, Edo – 1,383, Kano – 1,268, Delta – 1,227, Rivers – 1,183, Ogun – 1,005, Kaduna – 865, Katsina – 604, Borno – 528, Gombe – 520, Bauchi – 516, Ebonyi – 503, Ondo – 456, Plateau – 436, Abia – 385, Enugu – 372, Imo – 352, Jigawa – 318, Kwara – 269, Bayelsa – 245, Nasarawa – 225, Osun – 165, Sokoto – 153, Niger – 122, Akwa Ibom – 112, Adamawa – 99, Benue – 97, Kebbi – 84, Zamfara – 76, Anambra – 73, Yobe – 61, Ekiti – 44, Taraba- 22, Kogi – 5
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and secretary to the government of the federation has warned churches to stop what he described as “exhibition of reckless confidence” regarding immunity to the coronavirus disease.
Mustapha, who gave the warning yesterday during the Interdenominational Church Prayer Service organised by the Nigerian Interreligious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, urged church leaders to tell their congregations to “stay safe for themselves, their families and for the body of Christ.”
Mustapha observed that the COVID-19 had come with all forms of uncertainties and there had not been any established protocol for treatment.
He said that non-pharmaceutical interventions had remained the most effective tool for countries to overcome the pandemic.
He noted that there was no known vaccine or cure in sight, stressing that COVID-19 had come to stay, even as scientists involved in the research for a solution had given between 18 and 24 months as time frame for likely vaccine solution.
“You can see that this virus has confounded and confused the entire world; it has brought the democracies and economies that existed for the last 300 years on their knees; it has overwhelmed them, and what makes you think that it cannot overwhelm us? The Church should stop the exhibition of reckless confidence and tell their congregations to do the proper thing which is, stay safe for themselves, their families and for the body of Christ.
“For the good of yourself and your family is to adhere to non-pharmaceutical measures and protect yourself against the Coronavirus disease. Stay at home, maintain physical distancing, wear a facemask, because the virus is emitted either through sneezing or coughing; ensure personal hygiene,” he said.
Mustapha noted that the positive intervention of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) is what the adherents of the two major religions needed to do more often.
He urged Christians to always seek areas of collaboration to promote social harmony, progress and peaceful co-existence.
