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…Says confirmed cases 770 undergo treatment in community
· Patients at isolation cenres rise 1% to 6% in two weeks
· Threatens to jail in-bound travelers with fake detail
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has raised the alarm over the rise in the number of newly infected residents, saying the total confirmed cases in the state have risen to 60,202 with 770 cases currently being managed in various communities in the state.
The governor also announced that from the beginning of July, the state had started to experience a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1% at the end of June 2021 to its current rate of 6.6% as at 8th of July 2021. He added that the rapid increase within a week gives great cause for concern as the occupancy rate at the isolation centres increased from an average of 1% to 6% within the last two weeks.
Hence, he reiterated that it is not the time to get tired or complacent, adding that the residents must instead be re-energized to battle the invisible and seemingly relentless enemy.
Giving update on the management of the pandemic in the state, the governor, who is also the incident Commander, described the developments as “the new and disturbing reality that now confronts us.” But he added that the state must not be demoralized by this but instead resolve to ensure that no stone would be left unturned in the bid to effectively mitigate the third wave of this pandemic in Lagos State.
The governor said: “Epidemiology Update As at the 7th of July 2021, Lagos State had recorded a total of 60,202 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of this number, 55,135 have recovered in-community and 770 are currently being managed actively in community. Over the course of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, about 4,382 patients have been admitted into our various COVID-19 care centres in Lagos: with 357 registered fatalities. 3 In all we have tested 563,679 samples in Lagos State since the pandemic started.
“Today we have 30 accredited testing centers: 26 private and 4 public health laboratories in the State, a significant improvement in capacity over the course of the past year. Accredited Health Facilities Let me make it clear that outside of the health facilities accredited for the management and treatment of COVID-19, and the EKOTELEMED program, no other health facilities, whether public or private, are permitted to admit or attend to COVID-19 patients.
“The Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) is providing monitoring and surveillance and has been mandated to apply heavy fines and other punitive measures on all facilities found to be in violation of this. Lagosians should desist from patronizing non-accredited COVID-19 treatment centers, and proprietors should also ensure that all suspected and confirmed cases are referred appropriately.”
He encouraged Lagosians to get vaccinated against the pandemic, saying it has been observed by various credible studies that those that have received their 4 vaccines have demonstrated significant resistance to the effects of the virus, with fewer associated complications and deaths. “As of today, however, the percentage of residents of Lagos who have received two (2) doses of the vaccine stands at a mere 1%,” he added.
Harping on the Travel Protocols for in-Bound Passengers, the governor added that between 8th May 2021 and 7th July 2021, a total of 50,322 passengers of interest arrived in Lagos via the Murtala Mohammed Airport. Of the 50,322 passengers, he said, 18 percent could not be reached by EKOTELEMED because of the provision of either wrong numbers or wrong Nigerian contact details to be reached on.
He added: “Going forward, passengers that do not provide the right details, including a phone number they can be reached for monitoring and an address for isolation, will face serious sanctions including fines and imprisonment according to our Lagos State Coronavirus Law of 2021.“Sanctions Against Quarantine Defaulters As dictated by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), passengers from red-listed countries (India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey) are required to observe mandatory isolation. So far, we have successfully isolated 2,386 passengers in Lagos State. Of this number, 15% have absconded,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that the defaulters, especially foreigners risk revocation of their Permanent Residency, and deportation while Nigerian defaulters is liable to prosecution to the full extent of the Lagos State COVID-19 Law.
The governor urged the religious houses to be vigilant is required at this time in our Churches and Mosques as As the Eid-El-Kabir approaches, he mandated full compliance with all protective protocols, adding that compulsory use of masks in all public places, Social distancing, Temperature checks, Provisions for hand-washing and sanitizers, and a maximum of 50 percent occupancy in enclosed spaces should be observed.
