Obiano Worried As Two Persons Attend Wedding ‘After Testing Positive For Covid-19’ In Anambra

With the rising cases of the second wave of the Covid-19 in Anambra State in the last two weeks, Governor Willie Obiano, Friday, appealed to the people of the state to become more vigilant to curtail the spread of the pandemic.

The governor, through the state commissioner for information, Mr C Don Adinuba, also regretted a recent case in the state where, “Two persons who a few days ago came for testing and were confirmed to be positive; instead of isolating themselves, they rejoined a wedding party and may have infected a number of people.”

THE WHISTLER reports that there are 80 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Anambra State since the second wave began two weeks ago, meaning an average of 40 cases per week. In contrast, the state used to record nine cases per week on average in the first wave.

Gov Obiano therefore expressed regrets over the nonchalance of some people in the state who still doubt the realities of the pandemic, and noted that, “Despite the deaths of some high-profile Nigerians in the second wave of the pandemic, like a former vice chancellor of Alex Ekwueme University in Ebonyi State, Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, who was also a former vice chancellor of the University of Lagos, it is disheartening that there are people in Anambra State who doubt the Covid-19 is ravaging the country.”

The governor also urged the people of the state to go for tests and possible treatment ‘which are still free in Anambra’, and commended the state’s Covid-19 Case Management Team for exceptional professionalism and competence. He added that “The team has not lost even one patient since the second wave. In fact, it did not lose a patient brought early enough for treatment. The 19 fatalities recorded in the state during the first wave were brought to our attention either when the persons were already or were too late for successful management.”

While regretting the adverse implications of the pandemic, Governor Obiano stated that, “Covid-19 is not just a health matter but, more importantly, a profound development challenge. It costs the authorities and individuals as well as groups everywhere in the world a lot of financial resources to build testing and treatment centres, and a lot of money to train the personnel to handle the situation. In Anambra State, we train not just doctors, pharmacists, lab scientists and nurses in the management of Covid-19, but also ward cleaners and ambulance drivers because they also have a vital role in the value chain.

“There have been lockdowns in different jurisdictions of the world which brought untold hardship to people and businesses as well as governments, thereby arresting the pace of development.”

Our correspondent reports that the commissioner for health in Anambra State, Dr Vincent Okpala, recently called on health professionals in the state to treat ‘every case of malaria as Covid-19 until proven otherwise’. According to him, ‘some people treated for malaria later turned out to be Covid-19 patients, in some cases discovered too late’.