Expect more COVID-19 deaths-FG
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, says the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country should be a warning that fatalities will increase too.
The minister said this in Abuja yesterday during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
He, however, noted that there were measures that could be taken to limit the fatality rate.
He said: “Since majority of fatalities are over 50 years of age or have pre-existing ailments like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, kidney disease, HIV, among others; this group of citizens has to be specially protected. This protection begins with limiting their exposure to risks of COVID-19 infection by urging stay at home, except there’s urgent and dire need to go out; to wear a face mask or a covering at any time, once outside the house, or when inside the house with persons who may have been exposed.
“Going to places where there can be a crowd like market or also places of worship carries risk of increased exposure and being in a closed room increases the risk of exposure to infection in proportion to the number of people and the way you’ll not get infected is by listening to what the NCDC is saying.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, listed human resistance to change, stigmatization, mental health, scepticism, culture, religious belief and domestic violence as part of the greatest challenges faced by the PTF in the last three months of its assignment.
He mentioned other challenges as inadequate infrastructure, manpower shortage and global shortage of essential items (test kits, PPE) as well as strain on the economy.
He asked Nigerians to always remember that the virus is real, potent and dangerous.
"This call becomes more pertinent as we go fully into the rainy season that ordinarily brings with it cold, catarrh and other COVID-19 mimicking illnesses. Our call to take personal responsibility cannot be more strident than now," he added.
Mustapha, who noted that this Wednesday made it exactly three months since the PTF was inaugurated for its sixmonth assignment, said the taskforce had planned a full mid-term report with larger stakeholders’ groups on July 2 and 3.