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Updated April 20th, 2020 at 18:25 IST

Nigeria records first COVID-19 case in war-stricken Borno, total reaches 627

Nigeria has confirmed the first case of COVID-19 disease in Borno, the war-stricken Northeast region on Apr 20 as the total cases reach 627 with 21 fatalities.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
Nigeria
| Image:self
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Nigeria has now confirmed the first case of COVID-19 disease in Borno, the war-stricken Northeast region of the country on April 20. The decades-long insurgency by Boko Haram extremists has led over 1.8 million people to flee their houses. Therefore, the aid workers also fear that the spread of the highly contagious disease in the region can prove to be devastating as the displaced people now live in congested camps. 

According to the update posted by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on April  20, 86 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the country. Regions that reported their first cases included Borno, Jigawa, and Bauchi while Lagos has the most cases of the fatal disease, 70. Nigeria has now confirmed 627 cases of COVID-19 disease with at least 21 fatalities. However, reports have suggested that the number of people affected by the disease might be higher as not enough people are tested due to the shortage of kits. Further raising the worries of aid workers, Borno has reportedly only 700 health facilities in working condition as many others have been destroyed in the fighting. 

Read - Bandits Kill 47 People In North Of Nigeria: Police

Read - Nigerian President's Chief Of Staff Abba Kyari Dies Of Coronavirus

18 civilians killed amid COVID-19 lockdown

During the 14-day lockdown in Nigeria to curb the spread of coronavirus, Human Rights Commission had said on April 16 that security officials killed at least 18 civilians which is greater than people who have been died due to COVID-19 disease. The country’s commission, that was founded to monitor the violations of human rights, released a report based on over 100 petitions it received from the family members of the people who were killed. 

According to reports, Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission head, Anthony Ojukwu said in a televised address that civilians in the country complained about “brutality and killing” by the law enforcement authorities during the COVID-19 lockdown. Moreover, 24 out of the total 36 Nigerian states had reached out to the Commission between the period of March 30 to April 13. According to an international news agency, the cases of human rights violations were higher in Lagos, Nigerian capital Abuja, and other states in the Southwest region.

Read - Africa Deaths Above 1,000, Including Nigerian Chief Of Staff

Read - Nigerian Security Killed 18 Civilians Amid COVID-19 Lockdown: Human Rights Commission

(With agency inputs)

Image Source: AP

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Published April 20th, 2020 at 18:35 IST

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