By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – Akwa Ibom State government has called for enhanced caution and vigilance, amongs residents of the state, as it announced reactivation of Covid-19 monitoring mechanisms, over recent increase in the number of infections in the state.
This call was made at a press briefing on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Uyo the state capital, by Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, Secretary to State Government and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State COVID-19 Committee, after it was reported by the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) that 45 people tested positive for the virus in the state earlier in the day.
NCDC report indicated that Akwa Ibom with 45 case was second on the list behind Lagos State, with 181 confirm cases. The total confirm cases in Nigeria on Thursday was 238.
Apparently alarmed by the increased cases of the deadly virus in the state, the state government warned that residents must ensure strict compliance with Covid-19 guidelines and protocols.
These measures, Dr. Ekuwem disclosed, include, non pharmaceutical protections such as proper use of face mask and “ensuring that both the mouth and nose are properly covered.
“Washing of hands regularly with soap and clean running water. Use of appropriate alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
“Ensure social distancing of not less than one meter at all times. Avoid overcrowded areas especially indoors. All non-essential social gatherings should be reconsidered with the view to drastically reducing the scale and scope or suspending same at this time. These include: burials, weddings, birthday celebrations etc.
“Social distancing in tricycles and in Mini-buses and wearing of face masks are to be strictly complied with.
“Religious houses (churches and mosques) should run at half capacity and services should last not more than one (1) hour.
“Hotels, sit-outs, clubs, schools, transport companies, supermarkets, Banks, pharmacies should all ensure compliance with all Covid-19 preventive measures in their facilities.”
He also urged residents to report any suspicious symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty in breathing and body pains and weakness to the nearest Covid-19 facility or call some designated phone help lines.
The SSG also revealed, ‘In AkwaIbom state the first cases were diagnosed on April 1st 2020. Since then, His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel had put in place proactive measures to curb the spread of the virus.
“These include the establishment of the State Covid-19 Management Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and the Incident Management Committee to oversee and coordinate the overall response; the establishment of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the construction of the 300-bed Infectious Diseases Control Center and the molecular laboratory, awareness creation on Covid-19, provision Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers and many more.”
According to him, “While these measures had largely kept the number of cases in our climes to the barest minimum, evidence the world over now suggests a third wave of the pandemic hence the need for this press briefing and a call for caution and vigilance by every citizen of our state.
“Over the past two weeks, cases of covid-19 within the state have risen from five (5) to one hundred and fifty six (156). This increase, when considered in the light of the new Delta variant of the virus, which has now been isolated in Nigeria, calls for a renewal of our collective effort at preventing the spread of Covid-19 virus infection in our state.
“Accordingly, the government calls on all citizens of the state to obey all Covid-19 guidelines and protocols earlier enunciated by both the government of the state and the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC).”