Nigeria’s daily count of coronavirus infections recorded a significant increase — compared to recent figures — on Thursday, with 343 new cases confirmed in 13 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

This is the first time in more than three months that the country’s daily count will exceed 340.

Before December 3, 2020, the last time the daily count surpassed 340 positive samples was on August 22, when 601 new infections were confirmed — at the time, out of 51,905 cases, Nigeria had recorded 38,767 recoveries and 997 deaths.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed the new cases in its update released at a few minutes after midnight on Thursday.

According to the breakdown, FCT topped the list with 123 new positive samples, followed by Lagos with 106 cases, and Kaduna with 72. With the new cases, Nigeria’s total figure of COVID-19 cases has now crossed 68,000.

Meanwhile, the recovery count has now exceeded 64,000 with 452 patients discharged on Thursday.

According to the NCDC, the new figure of discharged patients included 142 recoveries recorded in Lagos.

Two persons were confirmed to have died of coronavirus complications on Thursday, increasing the fatality toll to 1,179. Out of 68,303 infections now confirmed across Nigeria, 64,291 people have recovered