Panic Begins to Set in as Coronavirus Cases in Nigeria Escalate to 139

By Dipo Olowookere

The rising number of persons living in Nigeria testing positive to coronavirus is already making some people to press the panic button.

Last night, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced that four new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Nigeria, with three from Abuja and one from Lagos, bringing the total number to 139.

Earlier yesterday, the agency had announced four fresh cases of the contagion in the country, with three from Osun State and one from Ogun State.

A day earlier, 20 new cases were reported in the country; 13 in Lagos, 4 in FCT, 2 in Kaduna and 1 in Oyo State.

What is getting some people to worry is the percentage of those who have tested positive from the total number of persons already tested by government.

According to reports, Nigeria is yet to test 5,000 persons and going by the results so far, over 4 percent of the tests have come out positive. Nigeria has a population of about 200 million.

The federal government said it was already tracking over 6,000 persons in the country who must have had contacts with those already confirmed to have the virus, which presently has no cure.

In order to help stop the spread of the virus, government locked down Lagos and Abuja, with Ogun State to follow by Friday.

The decision to restrict movements in Lagos and Abuja was due to the fact that they have had most of the cases in Nigeria, while Ogun State was brought into the picture because of its close proximity to Lagos.

As at last night, Lagos has reported 82 cases, Abuja 28, Oyo 8, Osun 5, Ogun 4, Kaduna 3, Enugu 2, Edo 2, Bauchi 2, Ekoti 1, Rivers 1 and Benue 1.

But President Muhammadu Buhari has urged residents to remain calm, promising that his government will do everything within its powers to protect them.

He said during his broadcast on Sunday that this was why his administration has locked down the three places and has ensured that funds are given vulnerable persons in the country to serve as palliatives.

Meanwhile, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State has urged President Buhari to totally lock down the country so as to stop the spread of the virus.

Speaking on TVC’s Journalists Hangout on Tuesday evening, which was monitored by Business Post, the Governor said restricting movements in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State will likely not totally solve the issue at hand.

He said some people, who may be carrier of the virus, are leaving some of these three places to other states of the federation where there have not been a lock down.