FG Traces 6,000 Contacts as Coronavirus Cases Rise to 131

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it is tracing 6,000 persons in Lagos and Abuja suspected of having contact or being in proximity with

those that have tested positive for COVID-19.

The figure, released on Monday by the agency, showed an increment of 1,630 over the number of people being traced as at last Thursday.

Besides, the NCDC also announced 20 fresh cases of COVID-19, bringing the tally to 131. Among the new cases is Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, who confirmed that he tested positive for the virus.

The death toll from the pandemic also rose by one, bringing the number of people that have died from the virus since the index case occurred on February 27, to two.

However, five of the patients who had been receiving treatment were discharged yesterday in Lagos, after being certified free of the virus.

Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night in Abuja gave legal teeth to his Sunday night directive that has locked down Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), by signing the Covid-19 Regulations 2020 in accordance with Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act (CAP Q2 LFN 2004). The regulations declared Covid-19 as a dangerous and infectious disease.

A statement by the president’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the regulations, which took effect from Monday, March 30, 2020, would serve as a legal backing to various measures unveiled by the president during his national broadcast on March 29, 2020.

The statement also said such measures like the restriction/cessation of movement in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Ogun State, among other decisions are aimed at containing the spread of the pandemic in the country. The statement added that in addition to measures aimed at enabling Nigerians to perform on-line transactions and use automatic teller machine (ATMs) during these restrictions, the regulations grant exemption to the financial system and money markets.

The financial system exemption, the statement added, was aimed at allowing very skeletal operations with a view to keeping the system in light operations while these regulations subsists.