COVID-19: FG Rules Out Another Lockdown As Nigeria Braces Up For Third Wave

As Nigeria gradually enters the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, with increasing number of reported cases, the National Economic Council has said that there will not be a renewed lockdown in the country.

Cases of COVID-19 in the country as at July 15, was 168, 552.

The figure has recently been on the increase as the National Centre for Disease Control confirmed the presence of the Delta variant in the country.

The World Health Organisation has identified the Delta variant as a variant of concern, due to it’s high transmissibility rate.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, briefing pressmen after the virtual NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that despite the increase in reported cases, there would not be a fresh lockdown.

According to him, Lagos State currently has the highest burden of 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the cases in the country, having recorded increases in the number of cases since 10 weeks ago.

He said, “We will be reviewing on a weekly basis, like every two to three days, what the trends are; the chairman of the council has also mentioned to us that if there is a need for an emergency meeting, he will call one.

“But, assurances were given by the NCDC and the Presidential Task Force, working with relevant states like Lagos, to be tracking and monitoring what is happening almost on daily basis.

“So, we do not think that we are there; we do not have any indication that we will get there; so we are preparing ourselves to ensure that as much as possible, we can very quickly flatten the curve.”

He said that states have so far discharged over 140, 000 people, while only 2,124 deaths were recorded so far.

According to him, “In the last two weeks, we have seen an increase from a positivity average of about 1.5 per cent to positivity average nationally of about 3.5 per cent; Lagos has seen a positivity of 5.5 per cent in the last two weeks; so Lagos, Rivers and Kwara from the report have seen increases in positivity rates.

“It is important for us to know that the Delta variant, which is the new variant, is also in our country and has also been identified in a total of 103 countries globally.”