The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,024 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 100,087.
The NCDC made this known on its official Twitter handle Sunday.
The government agency announced 1,024 new confirmed cases and eight additional deaths. So far, 1,358 people have died of the novel coronavirus in Nigeria, while 80,030 cases have been discharged in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The new cases emanated from 17 states.
Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins University reported Sunday that there are more than 90 million global COVID-19 cases. The US has the most cases with more than 22 million, followed by India with more than 10 million and Brazil with more than 8 million.
The African continent confirmed a total of 3 million cases of the virus on Sunday, as many countries are beginning to mark a second wave of infections and impose restrictions.
On Sunday, Algeria registered Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus for use, the first African country to do so, Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund said.
Algeria’s president was flown to Germany on Sunday for treatment of complications from COVID-19.
The British variant of the COVID-19 virus, thought by scientists to be much more contagious, has reportedly been found in France and Russia, according to news reports Sunday.
Russia, which has recorded more than 3 million cases of the virus, had already suspended flights from Britain until January 13 and is mandating a two-week isolation period for those traveling from Britain.
Britain continues to grapple with high numbers of cases and deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, with many hospitals at capacity while lockdowns are in effect.
“The stark reality is that we will run out of beds for patients in the next couple of weeks unless the spread of the virus slows down drastically,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said over the weekend.
The British variant of the virus has been found in 45 countries and at least eight states in the US. Another variant of the virus discovered in South Africa was found in some positive cases in Ireland Sunday.
Yet a third new variant has been found in Japan in travellers from Brazil.
Takaji Wakita, head of Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said Sunday the newly discovered variant is different from the ones that have been identified in Britain and South Africa, but the three variants share a common mutation.
While the variants are worrisome, they are not unexpected. The coronavirus has made thousands of tiny modifications since it was first discovered, researchers say.