Lagos State Government has urged residents to reduce all forms of public and social gatherings as part of the preventive measure to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus disease in the State.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who stated this today while giving updates on COVID19 in Lagos advised that citizens should observe and practice the principle of ‘Social Distancing’ which is a public health strategy to slow down the spread of contagious diseases such as COVID19.
In keeping with the advisory on ‘Social Distancing’, Abayomi tasked citizens to keep long possible distance between people, avoid body contact like shaking of hands and hugs, avoid social and public gatherings and observe good respiratory hygiene.
Said he, “During this period, we should keep long possible distance between people, avoid body contact, hand handshakes and we should only attend necessary social gathering. Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze.”
The Commissioner emphasized the importance of self-isolation in curbing the spread of the virus noting that mandatory self-isolation and self-reporting is a civic responsibility that should be carried out by anyone who recently returned from high risk countries and persons with symptoms such as cough, fever and difficulty in breathing and had a recent travel to any country with history of the outbreak.
He appealed to citizens to report suspicion of cases to the Ministry through the Toll Free Line – 08000CORONA or any of the emergency help lines including – 0805978886, 08035387653, 08028971864, 08023169485,08033565529 and 08052817243.
While giving updates on case management in the state, the Abayomi disclosed that Lagos has four new confirmed cases of COVID19 bringing the total number of positive cases in the State to seven.
He explained that the four persons who tested positive have been admitted at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba. He explained that the patients include a Nigerian woman with her six week-old baby who returned through Virgin Atlantic Airline VS411, a Nigerian man who also came into the country on the same aircraft and an American who came into the country from Benin Republic through the land border on the 6th of March.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenba Omotosho who was also at the press briefing urged members of the public not to panic as the State government is in control of the situation.
He noted that the State Government will continue to respond swiftly and take necessary actions to contain the spread of the disease. Omotosho advised citizens to comply with government instructions and public advisories stressing that adherence to all instructions will help government curtail the spread of the virus and prevent escalation.
The Information and Strategy Commissioner added that policies on public and social gatherings will be reviewed in the interest of public safety in line with the THEMES agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu’s administration.