NCDC says 75 health workers contracted COVID-19 last week

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that no fewer than 75 health workers contracted the deadly COVID-19 virus last week, while 27 deaths were recorded from the disease in one day.

This was disclosed on Monday by the Director-General of the (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu during the daily media briefing by the COVID-19 task force team in the FCT, Abuja.

Ihekweazu thus urged the health workers across the country to maintain “a high index of suspicion at all times” to stem the further spread of the virus.

He said, “Last week, we recorded 27 deaths in a single day. Every death recorded is a tragic occurrence and our health workers are working extremely hard to prevent these.

“In the last one week, 75 health care workers were infected but we can reduce this risk. For healthcare workers, please maintain a high index of suspicion at all times. We need you alive and well,” the NCDC DG added.

Ihekweazu further revealed that the United Kingdom variant of the virus has been discovered in five samples from Osun State and one from Kwara State.

“In total, we have detected the B.1.1.7 variant in seven cases within Nigeria. This could imply community transmission of this variant of concern,” he said.