Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

The World Health Organization (WHO) said three northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe recorded a single-day rise in the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the first week of June.

WHO Health Emergencies, northeast office in its weekly report released on Monday said, 22 cases were reported on June 4, describing it as worst day across the three states currently wrecked by over a decade of Boko Haram insurgency.

“With 22 cases a day, 4th June, 2020 remains the worst day across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states since the index case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Borno on 19th April, 2020,” the world health body disclosed.

It said the pandemic shot up in the three states with 49 cases between May 29 to June 4, representing 14 percent increase compared to 12 percent of the early weeks of May.

Related News

A total of 394 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the three states with Borno having 358 cases and 20 deaths. Adamawa recorded 38 while Yobe has 49 cases, WHO said. Borno accounts for 76 percent of all confirmed cases of coronavirus in the area.

The organisation said 2, 219 samples were collected within the week for COVID-19 test, an increase of 51 percent from the previous 1, 473 samples.

WHO said more than 900, 000 persons have been reached with messages on social media to de-stigmatize them. It expressed concern over community spread in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. Borno recorded eight new confirmed cases as of
Monday

“COVID-19 is still here. We advise people to keep washing their hands regularly, use face masks when in public places and maintain physical distancing to stop the spread of the virus,” WHO’s health emergencies communication officer, in northeast, Chima Onuekwe said.