The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 674,678 new COVID-19 infections from January 23 to January 25, 2023. According to data from the WHO’s COVID-19 dashboard, there were 3,584 deaths attributed to the virus during this period. The global health body emphasized that COVID-19 vaccination remains crucial for protecting against severe illness and death, as the virus continues to circulate and mutate. Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the WHO, expressed concern over the increasing number of COVID-19 deaths in various countries. He announced that the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 would convene that week to assess whether the current situation still constitutes a global emergency.
The WHO’s report detailed the daily statistics of confirmed cases and deaths. On January 23, there were 396,821 confirmed cases and 2,142 deaths. The following day, January 24, recorded 98,748 confirmed cases and 729 deaths, while January 25 saw 179,108 cases and 713 deaths. As of January 25, 2023, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide reached 664,873,023, with 6,724,248 deaths reported to the WHO. In a related development, the WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville noted that Africa is emerging from the New Year travel season without a significant surge in COVID-19 cases for the first time since the pandemic began. However, the decrease in reported new cases may be partly attributed to low testing rates. Importantly, hospitalizations for severe illness and deaths have significantly declined.
In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed 15 new COVID-19 cases within one week, specifically from January 14 to January 20, 2023. These cases were reported from four states: Plateau (8), Kano (3), Lagos (3), and Kaduna (1). With these new cases, Nigeria’s total confirmed COVID-19 infections rose to 266,507. The NCDC reported that, to date, 266,507 cases have been confirmed, 259,864 cases have been discharged, and 3,155 deaths have occurred across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The agency also noted that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations center, activated at Level Two, continues to coordinate the national response activities.
In response to the reported increase in COVID-19 cases in countries such as China, Japan, and the United States, the Federal Government of Nigeria has mandated that all international travelers arriving in the country provide evidence of vaccination at points of entry. Additionally, unvaccinated passengers arriving from other countries may be required to receive vaccinations at the airport. As of January 25, 2023, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency reported that 65,679,094 eligible individuals in Nigeria have been fully vaccinated, while 11,780,959 have received partial vaccinations. Globally, a total of 13,156,047,747 vaccine doses had been administered as of January 24, 2023.
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