With the high increase in the number of reported cases of COVID-19 infections, the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha has stressed that factors that have contributed to rise in numbers from late November 2020 included increased local and international travels, business and religious activities, reopening of schools without strict compliance with COIVID-19 safety measures.
Boss Mustapha who made this known at its briefing on Monday noted that reports all over the world shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking huge havoc on humanity, economies and systems as the highest ever cases are being recorded globally.
Nigeria is also experiencing its own share of the second wave as the country last week recorded a total of over 9,000 cases making it rank 4th in cumulative cases in Africa and 5th in cumulative deaths.
The PTF chairman pressed further on the need to elevate the level vigilance and compliance with the recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions.
He said; “The current wave of infections is swift and virulent and we do not know how long it will last. Besides, the facilities available for the treatment of critical cases remain very limited and we do not wish to be overwhelmed. Your best bet therefore is to avoid infections completely.”
He also stated that the pilot exercise on the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test-Kits (RDTs) will be rolled out in five tertiary health institutions from next week in Abuja.
The rampant increase in the number of COVID-19 infections is not far from the fact that most Nigerian still do not believe in the existence of the virus in the country.
Nigerians also argued that the government is not helping the situation with some of the policies it brings forward which of recent is the NIN-SIM linkage which has seen most citizens troop to various NIMC offices defying the COVID-19 protocols in order to avoid their SIMS from being disconnected.
