Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed an additional 117 new cases of coronavirus, now pushing up the toll to 782 confirmed cases in Nigeria.
The agency disclosed that the new cases were confirmed in Lagos, FCT (Abuja), Kano, Borno, Katsina, Ogun, Rivers and Bauchi states.
59 cases were confirmed in Lagos, while 29 in FCT, Kano 14, and Borno 6. Katsina recorded 4, while Ogun recorded 3, Bauchi and Rivers each recorded one case.
197 patients have been discharged after they were treated of COVID-19 and 25 persons could not make it as the result of the dreaded COVID-19 plaque.
Lagos state has remained the epicentre of the global pandemic in Nigeria having a total of 430 confirmed cases as at 11:25 pm on Tuesday.
FCT Abuja and Kano states recorded 118 and 73 cases respectively.
Osun and Ogun states recorded 20 cases each; Katsina and Oyo recorded 16 each and Edo has 15 while Akwa Ibom, Borno, Kaduna and Kwara each has recorded 9 cases.
Other states are; Bauchi 8; Delta 4; Ekiti 4; Gombe 5; Enugu 2; Beue 1; Abia 2; Jigawa 2; Anambra 1 Rivers 3; Ondo; Niger 2; and Sokoto 1.
However, the General-purpose committee (GPC) of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has kicked against the cremation of Muslim corpses who are victims of coronavirus in the country.
Cremation is the process of disposing of the dead body through setting it up on fire and reducing it into ashes, it could be lack of land space, culture or other circumstance surrounding the death.
Alhaji Yusuf Nwoha, the director Administration of NSCIA, made the position of the body known on Tuesday during an Advisory on the internment of possible victims of COVID-19 pandemics.
Nwoha in his statement said, “It is important to state emphatically that Islam does not, under any circumstances, approve of the cremation of the body of a dead Muslim.
“This Advisory, therefore, is in tandem with this position and emphasizes that cremation of victims who succumb to COVID-19 is not allowed in any format.”
He reiterated that washing the dead body is a collective obligation, which is not exempted under a strong legal justification; however, in the circumstance, the deceased did not suffer from a disease that can be transmitted to others.
He added; “The known rule is that ‘Harm to the living must be avoided.’
“For the deceased, who suffered from a communicable disease, the government officials (health authorities) are to bear the responsibility of preparing the body for burial.
The body in this circumstance may be sprinkled with water as much as possible; alternatively, even by pouring water on the body without physical scrubbing or touching by hand.
“A specific nature of shrouding is not mandatory, provided the entire body is covered by the shroud. Where practicable, however, it is encouraged to use three or five pieces of the white shroud for men and five pieces for women; otherwise, application of reasonable discretion is allowed,” Nwoha said.
Meanwhile, he suggested that there is nothing wrong with putting the deceased into a body bag to avoid the transmissibility of the virus, though, preferably white, but any colour could be used in an event white is not available, afterwards the body can be placed in a coffin as an additional preventive measure.
“All of these should be controlled and supervised by appropriate Health Authorities.” He said.
