THE Nigerian government has placed six states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on red alert as fear of COVID-19 third wave spreads across the country.
The six states are Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano, and Plateau.
This development is coming after the government confirmed that the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus had entered Nigeria.
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A statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who doubles as Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 Boss Mustapha, warned other states in the country to be vigilant and continue to enforce all protocol to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.
“Following the confirmation of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and the rising number of infections and hospitalisations in the country, the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC) has put six states and the Federal Capital Territory on red alert as part of the preventive measures against a third wave of the pandemic. The states are Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, and the FCT.”
Mustapha reiterated the committee’s resolution to continue to minimise the risk of importation of the deadly Delta variant of the COVID-19 into the country, adding that the current restrictive measures against travellers arriving from India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa were still so much in place.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians to be careful of the spread of coronavirus as they celebrated Eid-el-Kabir on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The PSC felicitates with the Muslim Ummah on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. It, however, urges all state governments and religious leaders to be mindful of the potential for wider spread of the virus during large gatherings.”
For Muslims celebrating the Eid-el-Kabir, the PSC recommended the decentralisation of Eid prayer to neighbourhood Friday prayer (outdoor), suspension of Durbar activities, and limitation on all indoor gatherings.”
'Niyi worked with The ICIR as an Investigative Reporter and Fact-checker from 2020 till September 2022. You can shoot him an email via niyioyedeji1@gmail.com. You can as well follow him on Twitter via @niyi_oyedeji.