THE Nigerian government has ruled out another COVID-19 lockdown, despite the increase in cases of COVID-19 across the country.
The Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire announced this at a ministerial briefing held at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
Ehanire said the increase in the spread of the infection was not threatening enough for the imposition of another lockdown in the country.
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As cases of the Delta variant soared, the Nigerian government had announced two weeks ago that the country was already experiencing the third wave of the COVID-19 virus.
The new strain of the virus has been described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the most transmissible variant of the COVID-19, responsible for the rising cases in about 98 countries worldwide.
Ehanire noted that treatment centres had been alerted in preparation for the new wave of the COVID-19 due to the steady increase recorded in several states across the country since July.
Meanwhile, the third wave of the virus in Nigeria coincides with the commencement of a nationwide strike by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over poor remuneration, insurance benefits, among other issues.
The president of the Association Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said the strike would last indefinitely and include doctors handling cases of COVID-19 patients.
There is no end in sight to the strike, which has been on since August 2, as the striking doctors and the Federal government have failed to reach a consensus.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.