The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has confirmed five new cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country bringing the total to 214.

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General, NCDC, said that there were indications of sustained community transmission, because 30 per cent of the cases had incomplete epidemiological information. Ihekweazu however, stated that while 51 per cent were imported cases, 19 per cent were contacts of known cases.

They are three in Bauchi State, and two in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 214.

NCDC, through its verified Twitter account on Saturday, said that as at 10:10 pm, April 4, there were 214 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria, out of which 25 had been discharged.

The NCDC however, said four deaths had been recorded.

According to the Center, there are 109 cases in Lagos State, 43 in FCT, 20 in Osun, Akwa Ibom five, Oyo nine, Edo seven, Kaduna and Ogun States, four each, Bauchi six, Enugu and Ekiti States two each, while Rivers and Benue have one each.

According to Ihekweazu, the NCDC is using the little window of opportunity it has left to intensify investigations into identified cases and their sources.

“This is one of the purposes for which the lock-down of two states and the FCT was proclaimed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“These areas, especially Lagos as primary epicenter, as well as other parts of the Federation, need to speed up their activities to detect and isolate COVID-19 patients.

“During and following the lock-down, we expect to see an increase in cases as a measure of improvement in case finding,” he explained.

The NCDC DG however, expressed optimism that if social distancing and other measures were adhered to, infections would be controlled. (NAN)