With 45 new cases on Thursday, Osun has exceeded the 2000 mark in its tally of Covid-19 infections. The state government has alerted its citizens and residents of bad days ahead because of continued disregard for safety protocols and non-pharmaceutical guidelines set by it.
According to the data published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) published on Thursday, as part of its daily update routines, Osun was one of the 20 states that accounted for 938 new confirmed cases and 8 deaths recorded in Nigeria.
Other states included: Lagos (236), FCT (123), Plateau (92), Benue (63), Katsina (53), Oyo (50), Kaduna (43), Edo (33), Ogun (31), Ebonyi (31), Akwa Ibom (30), Kano (26), Gombe (18), Bauchi (16), Delta (12), Imo (11), Cross River (10), Rivers (10) and Niger (5).
Reacting to the recent developments, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, in a statement, enjoined citizens to continue to take personal responsibility for their own safety, adding that non-adherence to safety protocols among citizens may produce worse outcomes than the current spike.
She said: ” Osun’s daily coronavirus case tallies are now about three times what they were during the first wave, and our diligent and committed health professionals have predicted that the aftereffects of continued disregard for safety guidelines and protocols by citizens may worsen with time.
“Statistics are already proving them right, with Osun now the 14th worst impacted State by the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria because of the recent spikes. Also, we have not less than five cases of the new and more deadly variant of the virus, B 1.1.7 variant, which was first discovered and reported in the UK.
“A 51 percent increase in the number of confirmed cases, and a 58 percent increase in fatalities in about six weeks of 2021 is a frightening statistics. According to NCDC, the state closed the previous year with 1,019 confirmed cases and 24 deaths having recorded its index case in March 2020. As at today, NCDC data shows an infection tally of 2,017 cases and 41 deaths.
“It is only logical to assume that more cases will inevitably bring dark consequences.
“We enjoin our citizens to take personal responsibility for their safety at this critical time. Covid-19 is a deadly disease, and it is more deadly today than at any point since its outbreak.
“While the government continues to upscale efforts in combating the pandemic and its effect on the State, citizens should ensure adherence to the safety protocols outlined by the different layers of government. Wear your mask always, keep clean surfaces at home and in work spaces, wash or sanitise your hands and avoid crowded spaces always.
“The more nonchalant and careless we become, the more we open ourselves up to the dangerous effects of the pandemic”, Egbemode said.
