Nigeria, 4 other countries responsible for 80% COVID-19 cases in West Africa —WAHO 

The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has stated that Nigeria and four other countries account for over 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases in West Africa.

WAHO revealed this on Thursday while addressing members of ECOWAS Parliament during the Second Extra Ordinary Session, which is holding via video conference.

The health organisation however, said that the case fatality rate in the region is under control.

According to Prof. Stanley Okolo, the Director General of WAHO, while making presentation to Parliament, as at July 16, the five countries recorded 84,118 cases out of the 96,936 cases in the region.

Okolo said; “Five countries contributed almost 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in the region, namely: Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Guinea.

“What is important is to note the case fatality rate: how many people died because of COVID-19.

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“In our region, it is still relatively low at about 1.6 per cent, but that of course hides the fact that it is a rise from about 0.5 per cent to some countries that are at about 6 per cent,” he said.

Prof. Okolo said that the case fatality rate for the region was currently at a median of about 2.16 per cent and an average of 1.6 per cent.

“But the range of people dying after COVID-19 diagnosis is from about 0.57 per cent in Ghana to about six per cent in Niger.

“If you look at our active cases, it is common where we have a higher population density.

“We are not able to get all the figures from some districts in Mali and Niger due to insecurity,” he concluded.

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