COVID-19 Cases Rise to 276, With 15 From Lagos, 4 From Abuja As Buhari Reviews Lockdown Weekend - Islanders Magazine

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Wednesday 8 April 2020

COVID-19 Cases Rise to 276, With 15 From Lagos, 4 From Abuja As Buhari Reviews Lockdown Weekend


President Muhammadu Buhari will this weekend determine whether or not to extend the 14-day lockdown he imposed last week on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun States, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, has said.

Mustapha, who also chairs the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, told reporters in Lagos yesterday that the president would make the decision based on an evaluation to be carried out by the presidential taskforce.

The president, in a national broadcast last week, had ordered the restriction of movements in FCT, Lagos and Ogun States to curb the spread of COVID-19, which as at the last tally released yesterday by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has infected 254 people.

However, eight more people were discharged yesterday, one in Lagos, and seven in FCT, bringing the count to 44 while six are reported dead.

Among the dead is a doctor who was confirmed dead in Katsina due to complications arising from the virus.

Also yesterday, the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), being driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and some key stakeholders, solicited financial support from 146 companies and individuals to curb the virus.

The SGF, who was at the head of the Presidential Task Force team's visit to Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria lauded the efforts of the Lagos State Government towards curtailing the virus, assuring the people that Nigeria is on course to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Mustapha said the taskforce would do an evaluation of its objectives on the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria, this weekend and this would guide the president to determine whether or not to extend the lockdown.

According to him, the team has outlined its objectives and goals and within the next few days, it will determine if it has met them or not.


He added that this will be relayed to the president who would direct on the next step.

He said: "President Buhari alone will make the decision as to whether the lockdown will stop on its expiration at the 14th day or whether to extend it.

"The president would have to review the recommendations of the team set up to monitor the various measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus and cushion its effects on the people.

"We are looking at the objectives that were set when the lockdown or the quarantine declaration was signed by the president and subsequently by several other states.

"Before the end of the week, we will do an evaluation and part of the trip here was to do an evaluation to see how the objectives that were set were being met and at the end of that exercise, we would have the responsibility of reporting to Mr. President."


Mustapha said the president had in his broadcast explained how he arrived at the decision to impose the lockdown on the two states and the FCT.

He stated that Buhari took the decision on the advice of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, and this subsequently led to the signing of the Quarantine Declaration 2020.

Mustapha said Nigeria was at war with an invisible enemy, noting that the enemy could only be defeated if Nigerians stay at home, observe social distancing and report themselves to the health authorities if they present symptoms of COVID-19.

"One person who is infected in one community can infect everyone in that community. This is why we must eliminate the virus from our country so we can all stay safe. COVID-19 is a dangerous sickness, we must abide by the instructions to stay at home and report all suspected cases," he added.

The SGF explained that members of the taskforce were in Lagos to inspect the isolation centres in the state as part of the responsibilities of the team.

Nigeria on Course to Eradicate COVID-19, Says SGF

Mustapha also said that Nigeria was on course to eradicate the virus.

The SGF told the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that "Lagos is doing a great job" on the containment of the pandemic.

Sanwo-Olu said the state had put measures in place to combat the virus.

He said: "For instance, we have established two quarantine centres in Badagry, one in Epe, and some other places. These facilities are where people, who come into the state through land borders, maybe from neigbouring countries, are placed for 14 days before they are allowed fully into the state to mix with the people."

The taskforce team inspected the isolation facilities at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan; Lagos Island; the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba; Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba; and Gbagada General Hospital, Isolation Centre, Gbagada.

Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Mustapha said: "So far, I think Lagos State is doing a great job. From what I've seen here, they're putting up a first-class and a world-class facility that will help us in the management of those that are affected with COVID-19.

"I think we are on course and the basic strategy of the national response is containment to try as much as possible to reduce the spread to tracking of those that have already been infected so that we minimise the case of community transmission.

"We are doing very well. So far, processes that have been put in place, the plans, the objectives are being achieved.

"I listened to the briefing of the Commissioner for Health in Lagos State yesterday, where there was quite a clear indication that the reason for the lockdown and the processes that have been put in place is achieving its desired objectives."

COVID-19 Cases Jump to 254, Spread to Delta, Katsina

An update yesterday by the NCDC showed that Nigeria has recorded 16 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 254 the total number of confirmed cases in the country.

A breakdown of the new cases showed that 10 were recorded in Lagos, two each in the FCT and Oyo with one each in Delta and Katsina States.

NCDC said: "As at 09:30 p.m. on April 7, there are 254 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. Forty-four have been discharged with six deaths.

"The breakdown of the figures shows that Lagos has recorded 130 cases, FCT 50, Osun 20, Oyo and Edo 11 each, Bauchi six, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna five each, Ogun four, Enugu, Ekiti, Kwara and Rivers two each, while Benue, Ondo, Delta, and Katsina have recorded one each.

Lagos, FCT Discharge Eight More Patients

However, the Lagos State Government and the FCT discharged eight more patients yesterday to rally the count to the 44 announced by the NCDC.

Of the eight persons, Lagos discharged one and FCT seven.

According to Sanwo-Olu, who broke the news, the patient, a female, was discharged yesterday.

Sanwo-Olu said the state was resolute in fighting the virus and asked residents to stay at home for their safety.

Also, the Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, announced the discharge of seven people who had been on treatment for COVID-19 at the Isolation Centre in Abuja.

In a statement issued yesterday, the minister was also optimistic that the 39 who are still on admission would soon be discharged.

Bello said: "Let me begin by appreciating the high level of compliance so far exhibited by residents of the FCT with regards to the 14-day restriction of movement as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, with a view to curbing the Coronavirus pandemic. This restriction was necessitated by the need to contain the spread of the virus within our community in order to safeguard lives.

"The level of compliance from residents is proof that we all understand the magnitude of the challenge before us and we are ready to come together to fight this enemy, so we can return to our normal way of life as quickly as possible."

The minister also said that a 300-bed isolation centre for COVID-19 cases at Idu District had been completed and ready to be used.

However, NCDC has just confirmed New COVID-19 Cases, Nigeria’s Total Infections Rise To 276

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 22 new cases of the COVID-19 in Nigeria, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 276.

According to the NCDC, 15 are in Lagos, four are in the FCT, two are in Bauchi, while the other is in Edo.

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