Local: Nigeria records 242 new Coronavirus cases

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed 242 new cases of deadly coronavirus. As a result, the number of confirmed cases in Nigeria has risen to 4641 NCDC posted on Twitter.

Lagos, the epicenter of the virus in Nigeria, recorded 88 new persons while `Kano also had 64 new cases of the virus. Kastina got 49 new cases and Kaduna recorded 13 new cases.

Nine new cases were recorded in Ogun state and Gombe State reported six new cases. Adamawa got four new cases wand Nigeria’s national capital city, Abuja recorded three new cases.

NCDC announced one new case in Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Zamfara, Borno and Bauchi states.

The number of fatalities increased from 143 to 150, while recoveries increased from 778 to 902.

The increase in the number of cases over the past few weeks has been attributed to increased testing.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has authorised the airlifting of Madagascar anti-coronavirus products to the world for trial purposes.

However, World Health Organisation (WHO) cautioned against drinking that the effectiveness of the drink had not been confirmed and advised against "adopting a drug that had not been tested to see its effectiveness."

The herbal mixture is a drink derived from artemisia – a plant with proven efficacy in malaria treatment – and other indigenous herbs.

Isolated compounds extracted from artemisia are effective in malaria drugs WHO noted but said the plant itself cannot treat malaria.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also said the drink should be “tested rigorously”.

Health specialists are concerned that people who drink the drug may feel resistant to COVID-19 and indulge in risky behaviour, WHO Africa Head Matshidiso Moeti said.

"We are worried that the use of this drug as a prevention measure could make people feel comfortable," she said.

Although the global health agency has yet to allow the use of a drink to treat Coronavirus patients, many African countries, such as Nigeria, are dependent on Madagascar’s drink.