The World Health Organization, WHO, has warned on a “new and dangerous phase” of the coronavirus pandemic.

WHO gave the warning as a result of people’s neglect of lockdowns and social distancing despite daily increasing cases of the disease.

Six hundred and sixty-seven fresh cases were recorded in Nigeria yesterday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), bringing the total in the country so far to 19,147.

The breakdown is as follows: Lagos-281; Abia-48; Oyo-45; FCT-38; Ogun-37; Enugu-31; Ondo-23; Plateau-21; Edo-19; Delta-18; Rivers-18; Bayelsa-17; Akwa Ibom-17; Kaduna-14; Kano-12; Bauchi-9; Gombe-4; Osun-3; Benue-3; Nasarawa-3; Kwara-3; Ekiti-2 and  Borno-1.

Six thousand, five hundred and eighty-one cases have been discharged while 487 deaths have occurred.

The novel coronavirus has claimed more than 454,000 lives and infected 8.4 million people globally.

Despite COVID-19 surging in both South and North America, Europe and parts of Asia, countries are starting to ease restrictive measures.

WHO declared that the coronavirus still posed a major threat to the world.

WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference on Friday that “The world is in a new and dangerous phase. Many people are understandably fed up with being at home… but the virus is still spreading fast.”

At the moment, no vaccine has been discovered to tackle the disease despite several trials.

British Government had earlier in the week announced that dexamethasone will now be used on COVID-19 patients.

The government made the announcement after researchers in the country identified the drug, which, according to them, reduces COVID-19 deaths risk.

The government said the drug had reduced death risk for patients in ventilators by one-third and oxygen by one fifth.