Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has said that the state is extremely prepared and capable of containing the threats of the coronavirus.
The number of people infected with the dreaded Coronavirus in the country has increased to 12.
The governor, who is the chief incident commander, while giving an update on coronavirus on Friday, stated that the state’s bio-secure isolation facility at the Mainland Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba is equipped and able to contain the disease.
He recalled that on February 27, 2020, Nigeria recorded its first case of the COVID-19 disease, when an Italian landed in Lagos from Istanbul.
Since then, the number of confirmed cases in Nigeria has risen to 12, so far.
“Our dear Lagos State has been the epicenter of this outbreak as we are the most populous State in Nigeria, and also home to the country’s busiest airport,” he said.
On the medical front, Sanwo-Olu said that there are 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Lagos state with eight under isolation and in admission at the bio-security facility in Yaba.
He however announced that the index case, the Italian, has tested negative, and will be discharged soon.
“We are seeing new cases crop up with most of the cases being those who have recently travelled overseas or have contact with recent travellers.
“Each time, we have been able to isolate them, do contact tracing, and quarantine the close contacts. So we are managing our numbers and trying to ensure that this does not become an uncontrollable outbreak,”
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) named one key reason for the rapid spread as ‘alarming levels of inaction’. In Lagos, we have all taken Covid-19 with the utmost seriousness.
“We inaugurated an incident command center four weeks before the first index case was recorded. In fact, the WHO praised our efforts and held Lagos up as an example to emulate.
“Few days, following consultations with religious leaders, we have directed the immediate suspension of all gatherings of more than 50 persons.
“We have also, following due consultations, announced the closure of all Public and Private schools in Lagos State with effect from next Monday, March 23, 2020; and I hereby direct that all Lagos State tertiary institutions shut down immediately.
“These times call for us all to act responsibly and abstain from all large outings or gatherings of any kind, be they academic, family, professional, political, religious or social,” the governor said.
He noted that in South Korea and Singapore, the disease spread largely through organized religious gatherings; explaining that the issue is not religion, but that the virus can spread through any large assemblage of people or gathering.
To protect and save lives, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that law enforcement agencies, especially the Police, have been directed to enforce compliance with the directive against any assemblage of a large number of people at any location.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
