
Nigeria, on Tuesday night recorded 241 new cases of Coronavirus. According to a tweet from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, (NCDC),
From the available records, 10,819 persons have tested positive to Coronavirus in Nigeria, with 3,239 patients discharged, and 314 deaths recorded.
No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours. The 241 new cases are reported from 14 states – Lagos(142), Oyo(15), FCT(13), Kano(12), Edo(11), Delta(10), Kaduna(9), Rivers(9), Borno(8),Jigawa(4), Gombe(3), Plateau(3), Osun(1), Bauchi(1)
In another development, the Lagos State Government has said that in view of the prevailing rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, worship centres may remain shut in the state.
The move became necessary following an unresolved disagreement on protocols and guidelines between government and religious leaders. Recall that the Federal Government had on Monday, June 1, lifted the ban on worship centres in the country, based on guidelines and protocols agreed with state governments. The Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Anofiu Elegushi, made the remark on Tuesday while answering questions from the media, at a ministerial press briefing commemorating the first year in office of Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, held in Ikeja. Elegushi said the possibility of reopening worship centres in the state had been ruled out. According to him, ‘’Even before the pronouncement by Federal Government, we have been having series of meetings with the religious leaders, we even have one with safety Commission. Looking at the possibility of reopening of religious houses. ‘’We also had one with the leaders of the two faith and I want to tell you categorically that at that meeting, possibility of reopening religious houses was ruled out totally. ‘’They claimed that they cannot take such responsibility of ensuring that only 20 or 50 people are praying behind them. Like an Imam said he doesn’t know what is going on at back immediately he is leading a prayer. He said if more than 20 or 50 people are staying at his back he is not going to take responsibility for their presence. ‘’So in the meeting, we ruled out in totality the issue of reopening the religious houses until we have a clear coast for us to do so. The Federal Government mentioned it, but it never ruled out the state in achieving that pronouncement, so all states will have to look at possibility of doing so in their respective states. ‘’We all know Lagos is still having more figures “So definitely that will speak to our decision. But the governor of the state will come out with further directives from that directive. We will call the two faith together and discuss the pronouncement and I can assure you that they themselves will tell us not to do it.’’
Below is a breakdown of cases by state as reported by the health agency:
