COVID-19 spike: Delta says no cause for alarm, issues public health advisory ahead Yuletide

As the spike in the cases of COVID-19 hits some states in the country, Delta says there is no cause for alarm.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, in a chat with Tribune Online on Saturday, joked: “We are cool; the situation is not like before and we are praying it remains so.”

He, therefore, urged the people of the state to continue to observe the protocols of regular social distancing, wearing of face masks and washing of hands.

The commissioner, however, warned that the state government would not tolerate any breach of the protocols, especially the wearing of face masks across the state.

It will be recalled that the state has recorded just four COVID-19 positive cases on Friday evening as announced by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

Checks across the state weekend by Sunday Tribune showed that just few residents are gradually returning to arming themselves with facemasks as against previous weeks that witnessed complete abandonment of the pandemic’s protocols.

Unfortunately, the facemasks are kept in their pockets or bags against possible harassment by members of the COVID-19 task force and other law enforcement agents who might resume work unannounced.

There has also been a full return of activities in churches, mosques, markets, public gatherings, bus stops among others with little or no compliance to COVID-19 protocols particularly during and after the #ENDSARS protests.

Following the development, the Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr Mordi Ononye, in a statement on COVID-19 has admonished Deltans and other residents of the state to continue to observe the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The admonition came on the heel of the possibility of increased transmission of the coronavirus, arising from increased inter-state and international travels during the festive season.

He said that the Ministry of Health, through its Emergency Operation Committee (EOC) on COVID-19, was already conducting a state-wide random sample collection to determine the burden of the disease in the state even as he stated that the results thus far were encouraging.

Dr. Ononye, whilst thanking Deltans for their cooperation with his ministry, urged all to continue with the observance of published COVID-19 preventive protocols.

According to the statement, residents are advised to wear face masks in public places, observe hand-washing with soap under runny water, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, observe social distancing, discourage and avoid large gatherings as well as observe respiratory hygiene.

He also advised residents to visit any nearby government approved health facility should they experience symptoms such fever, cough, sneezing difficulty in breathing, pain in the chest and diarrhea, among others.

The commissioner stated that the test and treatment for COVID-19 was free in government health facilities and assured residents that the Ministry of Health was doing everything possible within its mandate to protect the lives and health of all citizens and residents of the state.

He urged those between the ages of 9 months to 44 years, who could not get vaccinated for Yellow Fever during the just concluded state-wide Yellow Fever mass vaccination exercise, (Nigerian Tribune)