COVID-19: More community transmissions recorded — FG

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said it had recorded more cases of community transmission of the coronavirus in the country and fewer imported cases.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 254 confirmed cases in the country, nine deaths and 44 discharged.

The National Coordinator for the fight against COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, who spoke during a live briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, stated that all public and private health care institutions should look out for patients presenting unusual respiratory tract infections, especially those that “cannot be explained.”

According to him, such symptoms have become an important indicator for testing for coronavirus infection.

He explained that, from a public health perspective, one of the most effective ways of cutting transmission is to keep away from one other, saying, “We are only as strong as our weakest link.”

Aliyu added, “More of our cases are now community-linked. We are having fewer cases that are linked to travel abroad or contact with people who have been abroad. Our health care services need to look out for this alert.

“At the same time, I would like to encourage the public, those that have suspicion that they have symptoms related to coronavirus, not to be afraid but to seek testing and treatment.

“In the vast majority of cases — more than at least 80 per cent of cases of coronavirus infection — most people will have mild or moderate symptoms and will be well.”

But in a small minority of cases, particularly those are susceptible or at high risk for severe illness such as those with underlying medical conditions and those that are immunosuppressed or those that are elderly, particularly above the age of 70, they could end up with very severe disease.