Worried by the increasing cases of COVID-19 in Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday threatened to impose a total lockdown in the state if violations of health guidelines persist.
Lagos is the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria. As of Saturday, the state had 1,683 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 1184 active cases, 448 discharged cases, and 33 deaths.
Sanwo-Olu said this on Twitter handle on Saturday to register his disappointment at the level of violation of the guidelines, saying the government will be forced to review the terms of lockdown easing if Lagos residents continue flouting the orders.
โDespite massive advocacy, it is disappointing to see the crowd at banks & markets across the state flouting the guidelines,โ he said.
โWe will be forced to take the painful decision of bringing the state under lockdown if it remains clear that Lagosians are determined to flout the rules.โ
Sanwo-Olu said the state is at a critical point in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in and every resident needs to take responsibility for their health and wellbeing.
โAs citizens, we have a great burden upon us, to behave responsibly. These times demand a lot from us, in terms of actions and behaviours that may not be comfortable. It is difficult to adjust to the changes, but adjust, we must.
โAs a government elected to uphold the security of its citizens, which includes health security, we will not hesitate to review the terms of easing the lockdown if we do not see an improvement in the adherence to our public health guidelines over the next couple of days,โ the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu said in the weeks ahead, there will be a change in the stateโs isolation strategy which will be transitioned towards decentralization.
โWe will be introducing community management of cases by accrediting primary healthcare facilities for the management of mild-to-moderate cases of COVID-19 patients,โ he said.
Sanwo-Olu added that low compliance with the guidelines by operators of commercial buses and the flouting of the directive by commercial motorcycles will not be tolerated and the security agencies have been directed to confiscate any motorcycle seen flouting the rules.
โGetting rid of COVID-19 in our state must be a collective responsibility. It is not something the government can do alone. We must all do our part.
โThe wearing of a face mask in public is not a suggestion. It is a necessity and mandatory,โ he said.
Sanwo-Olu said the government was committed to strengthening capacity in combating the pandemic and every citizen must do their part.
28 patients discharged in Lagos, Abuja
Twenty-eight patients who were treated for COVID-19 in Lagos and Abuja have recovered.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, and Mohammed Bello, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), announced this on Sunday.
While 21 were discharged in Lagos, seven patients in the nationโs capital reunited with the society after treatment.
โI am happy to inform you that 21 more #COVID19 patients; 4 females and 17 males, all Nigerians have been discharged from our isolation facilities to reunite with the society,โ Sanwo-Olu said in a statement.
โThe patients, 3 from Onikan, 1 from Eti-Osa (LandMark), 1 from First Cardiology Hospital (an accredited private Isolation facility), 6 from Lekki and 10 from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Isolation Centres. were discharged today having fully recovered and tested negative to #COVID19 in two consecutive test readings.
โWith this, the total number of cases successfully managed and discharged from isolation facilities has risen to 469.
โRemember to practice hand hyiene, join our #MaskUpLagos campaign by using a facemask especially when outdoor and do not forget to observe strictly the Social Distancing principle. Together we can break the chain of transmission.โ
Bello broke the news on the discharge of the patients in Abuja in a tweet. The minister said the development brings the total number of patients discharged to 92.
