Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, cautioned residents on the frightening figures of hospitalisations and fatalities resulting from coronavirus.
He confirmed that Lagos State had been recording a daily average of six deaths at its isolation centres in the last week.
According to him, no fewer than 30 persons have died of COVID-19 in the state in few days.
The Governor, who spoke at the State House in Alausa, disclosed that there had been an eight-fold increase in infection rate in Lagos, resulting in 4,300 confirmed cases in July alone, while 352 patients were admitted into the State-run isolation facilities.
The situation, Sanwo-Olu said, called for improved vigilance and personal responsibility, urging the residents to reactivate the preventive protocols to break the cycle of infection currently ravaging the State.
He said, “From the beginning of July, we started to experience an increase in the number of daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lagos, with the positivity rate going to from seven per cent at the end of July. As at August 1, the positivity rate rises to 8.9 per cent, which is an eight-fold increase over the recorded figure a month ago.
“This has resulted in 4,300 confirmed cases in July alone and 352 admissions into our isolation facilities. Essentially, we have recorded on average six deaths per day since last week. The situation at hand should rightly alarm all of us.
“Let me make it clear that this necessary sense of alarm should not be responded to with panic, but instead with firm resolve and determination to reverse the trend.
“We must dig deep into what we have learnt from the previous waves, as well as summon the will to do everything necessary in bringing down the numbers to eventually defeat the virus once and for all. We have done it before and we can do it again.”
The Governor said there would be a constant tab on in-bound travellers from the red-listed countries, warning that the Government would not hesitate to impose sanctions and penalties on those violating the mandatory self-isolation rules.
Sanwo-Olu said all existing rules and guidelines on social and public gatherings remained in place and must be obeyed.
He directed public and private establishments, entertainment spots and worship centres to continue providing sanitising materials and ensure no person is allowed into their premises without the use of face masks.
He said, “We have incontrovertible evidence that wearing face masks help in slowing down the spread of the virus, particularly the now more dominant strains. We are no longer inexperienced, as we have learnt a lot in 18 months into the pandemic.
“We have been able to finetune our strategies and response, and we are now in a good place to ensure that this third wave is the final one. But we must put in the work, the compliance, the regard for rules and restrictions.”
