The Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire says the ravaging third wave of the Delta variant of COVID-19 can be defeated if all citizens play their part in the fight against the pandemic.
The Minister stated this on Thursday at the weekly ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina in Abuja.
According to him, if everybody plays his/her role, such efforts put in by individuals and organizations will complement the national response by government.
According to the minister, cases of the virus have started to rise since several weeks, saying there have been increased in fatalities recorded in the past four weeks.
He listed states that currently have the highest contribution to the national case load of COVID-19 to include Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“These are the ones we have called the red alert states because they require extra attention to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in those places.”
Dr. Ehanire said Nigeria was concerned about the Delta variant because “it is more transmissible and dangerous’’ adding that it has been estimated to be 60 per cent more transmissible, which means that where one virus of the previous variants would infect 100 people, this particular variant will infect 160 people.
“Secondly, this variant is also of concern because it affects even younger people. Before now we did say that younger people might likely get away or escape from the infection”.
Ehanire further noted that vigilance at the country’s borders had been fortified to check the importation of the disease to the country.
Speaking on the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, the minister debunked the assertion that the Federal Government was threatening members of the association.
He, however, appealed to the doctors to call-off the strike in the interest of humanity to help address the challenges posed by COVID-19.
