BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The death of Mallam Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday sadly highlighted the update on latest developments concerning Nigeria’s situation in fighting the rampaging coronavirus pandemic.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, early Saturday morning, confirmed that Kyari died on Friday, April 17, 2020 after weeks of battling the deadly virus.
This is as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced that by 10:10pm on Friday, April 17, 2020, there were 51 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 with Nigeria’s tally now at 493 cases nationwide.
Though the statement by Adesina did not disclose where Mallam Kyari died, it said his burial arrangements would be announced soon.
The press statement confirming his demise said; “The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.
“The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.”
“May God accept his soul.
“Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly,” the statement said
The late Chief of Staff tested positive for COVID-19 in March after returning to Nigeria from a private trip to Germany. With the Presidency officially keeping sealed lips on his health status, Kyari was thereafter ferried to Lagos for treatment in one of the numerous isolation centres.
Meanwhile, the NCDC has explained that 159 cases COVID-19 have been successfully treated and discharged with the number of deaths rising to seventeen (17) in the country.
Also giving a breakdown of the 51 new cases, the Centre said they were reported from eight (8) states with Lagos again producing the highest figure of thirty-two (32). Others are Kano – Six (6); Kwara – Five (5); Oyo – Two (2); Katsina – Two (2); FCT – Two (2); with Ekiti and Ogun having one (1) case each.
CASE SUMMARY IN NIGERIA AS AT APRIL 17TH 2020
| Total Samples Tested | > 6649 |
| Total Confirmed cases | 493 |
| Discharged | 159 |
| Death | 17 |
| States Affected | No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) | No. of Active Cases | No. Discharged | No of Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos | 283 | 182 | 90 | 11 |
| Abuja FCT | 69 | 44 | 23 | 2 |
| Kano | 27 | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| Osun | 20 | 3 | 17 | 0 |
| Edo | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| Oyo | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Ogun | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Kwara | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Katsina | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Bauchi | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaduna | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Akwa Ibom | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Delta | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Ondo | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Ekiti | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Enugu | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Rivers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Niger | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Benue | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Anambra | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 493 | 317 | 159 | 17 |
