Dec. 15, 2023

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued clarification regarding recent report of resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Benue.

The NCDC in a message on Friday stated that the news, which claimed that 25 new cases were found, was misinterpreted from a statement by a World Health Organisation (WHO) surveillance officer.

The officer, during a meeting organised by Benue State Primary Healthcare Board, in collaboration with WHO in Makurdi, said Benue recorded a total of 25 new cases in 2023, with the last case recorded in mid-April.

The surveillance officer then urged people to take advantage of the COVID-19 immunisation to protect themselves from the virus.

However, NCDC provided the overall COVID-19 situation in the country, where it shared statistics which revealed that a total of 6,013,826 tests were conducted, with 267,184 confirmed cases and 3,155 deaths.

It added that “in the last quarter of 2023, 15,481 tests were conducted, confirming 75 cases across 25 states.

“In spite of WHO’s declaration that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, the Federal Government, through the NCDC, integrated COVID-19 testing into routine disease surveillance.”

The NCDC, therefore, underscored the importance of responsible reporting by the media, acknowledging their critical role in public health and national security.

It expressed gratitude for the collaboration with the media while urging accurate information dissemination to prevent potential public health threats arising from misinformation.

The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the health of Nigerians, ensuring transparency, and maintaining open communication channels to provide accurate and timely information on matters of public health importance.(NAN)