TELL Magazine

The Lagos state governments have threatened fresh lockdowns amid increasing COVID-19 cases in the states and the country.

Fresh 684 COVID-19 cases were recorded in 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory on Friday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, bringing the total number of cases to 23,298.

While 8,253 discharged patients had recovered, 554 deaths were recorded.

Lagos, Oyo, and Katsina had the highest number of cases at 259, 76 and 69, respectively. Delta, Rivers had 46; Ogun, 23; Edo, 22; Osun, 22; and Ebonyi, 21.

FCT had 20; Kaduna, 16; Ondo, 10; Imo, 9; and Abia, 9. Gombe had 5; Plateau, 4; Bauchi, 4; Ekiti, 2; and Anambra, 1.

Due to the rising number of cases each day, Lagos state governments have threatened fresh lockdowns if the people failed to abide by government protocols such as social distancing and wearing of face masks in the public.

Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, said even though the state had been able to draw a balance between the public health crisis and ensuring livelihoods were not in jeopardy, the government would not hesitate to impose another lockdown if the things (cases) got out of hands.

“We believe we are managing a delicate balance between the public health crisis and the economic livelihood of Lagosians. If things are getting out of hand, we will certainly consider another lockdown,” he said.

The commissioner added that the state had yet to reach the peak, noting that cases would continue to rise in the next one or two months.

Abayomi said, “We are in the middle of the outbreak and we have not even peaked yet, and so the cases are still rising. We still expect to see a lot more cases in the next one month or two.

I would use this platform to remind Lagosians that we have not yet peaked and Lagos is still going through the active community transmission of COVID-19.

“So I appeal to Lagosians, keep practising the social distancing measures and I hope these practices will help to flatten the curve and protect certain vulnerable members of the community” he said.