The World Health Organization (WHO) shared that Benue State in North-Central Nigeria has reported 25 new cases of the coronavirus. This information was revealed by Ogechukwu Chigbo, the WHO surveillance officer for the state, during a meeting in the capital city, Makurdi.
Chigbo stressed the ongoing presence of COVID-19 in Nigeria and urged people to make use of the accessible vaccines to safeguard themselves. In August, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) mentioned its monitoring of the new EG.5 and BA.2.86 subvariants of the Omicron variant reported in 51 countries.
While the NCDC has not yet reported the recent cases in Benue State, its COVID-19 dashboard as of December 13 indicates a total of 266,675 confirmed cases and 3,155 deaths across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Chigbo emphasized the importance of vaccination, noting that Benue recorded 25 cases this year without any fatalities.
She encouraged everyone to get vaccinated, highlighting the integration of COVID-19 vaccination into routine immunization campaigns in the state.
“We have been implementing a series of campaigns on COVID-19. We have had phases of it and we have been experiencing some challenges since we are not able to reach at least 70 per cent in Benue, it is better to have the vaccine integrated as part of the routine immunisation,” she said.
To improve coverage, Chigbo mentioned challenges in reaching at least 70 percent of the population and proposed integrating the vaccine into routine immunization.
Despite negative perceptions, she assured the safety of the vaccine and emphasized its role in protecting individuals from severe infection, emphasizing its availability and free distribution in healthcare facilities providing routine immunization.
A few years ago, the world faced a significant challenge as COVID-19, a widespread virus, took control.
During that time, the Nigerian economy suffered greatly, experiencing financial difficulties and setbacks.
The impact of the pandemic was profound, leading to widespread economic struggles in Nigeria and around the globe.
