COVID 19 SECOND WAVE: FG PUTS PREVIOUSLY CLOSED ISOLATION CENTRES ON ALERT ON REOPENING
As factors indicate that Nigeria is on the brink of a second wave of the COVID 19 pandemic, the Federal Government on Thursday put all isolation centres previously closed due to reduced to patient load on alert for reopening.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire disclosed this in Abuja during the press conference of the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19, stressing that the country is experiencing a spike in infection majorly caused by community transmission and travellers coming into Nigeria.
Ehanire said 87 travellers coming into the country tested positive of the Coronavirus as against 59 in the previous week.
“We are seeing the increase in the number of confirmed COVID 19 cases in the last few days. Last week, we recorded 1, 843 against 1,235 we recorded two weeks before. In the past 24 hours, 474 new confirmed cases and two deaths were recorded,” the Health Minister said.
Global record of coronavirus infections has reached up to 70.7 million with over 1.5 million coronavirus related deaths. Many countries have been forced to ground activities following the second wave of the COVID 19 infection. Recall Eons Intelligence reported that South Africa recently announced that it has also officially entered the second wave of the COVID-19 infection as the number of infections exceeded 6,000 per day.
READ ALSO: COVID 19: SOUTH AFRICA OFFICIALLY ENTERS SECOND WAVE OF INFECTIONS
As the festive season approaches, Ehanire urged Nigerians to observe COVID 19 guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease.
“Everyone has a role to play in the effort to prevent explosive spread of this infection in Nigeria. We must prepare for a possible second wave which we must ensure, does not get to be worse than what we have seen so far, judging from what we observe in other countries.”
READ ASO: NIGERIAN ARMY CANCELS COAS CONFERENCE OVER DEATH OF GENERAL WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
He also assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is working to ensure that Nigerians get access to COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. But until then, COVID-19 guidelines should be strictly adhered to.
We are working with WHO and GAVI led COVAX facility and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria will access quality vaccines when they are deployed… Until vaccines are available, our best bet is still the appropriate use of face masks, physical distancing, hand sanitisers and observance of respiratory hygiene, for prevention and control.”
READ ALSO: NIGERIA, AFRICA TO GET COVID-19 VACCINES BY JANUARY-NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
Comments