FOLLOWING the outbreak of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Delta State Government has reitirated it’s commitment to curbing the spread of the Omicron and other variants of the virus.
On the 26th of December 2021, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed 1,547 new cases and 8 deaths in Nigeria.
“Till date, 237, 561 cases have been confirmed, 212, 550 cases have been discharged and 3, 022 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The 1, 547 new cases are reported from 10 States – FCT (806), Lagos (401), Borno (166), Oyo (78), Ogun (47), Osun (30), Ekiti (7), Katsina (7), Kano (4) and Jigawa (1).
“A multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 2, continues to coordinate the national response activities,” NCDC said.
Addressing members of Delta State Task Force on COVID-19 in his office, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, said that the awareness campaign on COVID-19 should be reignited with a view to stepping up the consciousness of Deltans on the need to observe the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.
The SSG emphasized the need to enlist the support of traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state as relevant stakeholders in the sensitization of the people within their various domain.
He commended the task force for taking the initiative of engaging 20-member ward enlightenment team in order to ensure effective dissemination of information on COVID-19 across the various wards of the state, noting that the strategy will go a long way in educating Deltans on the need to get vaccinated and also observe all the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.
The SSG also enjoined members of the task force to closely monitor the ward teams and ensure that they effectively carry out their duties towards achieving the set objectives of curbing the spread of the disease.
Chief Ukah called on all residents of the state to observe all COVID-19 protocols and guidelines for the common good of all.
While briefing the SSG on the steps taken so far by the task force on COVID-19, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, stated that plans are already in place to effectively monitor the engaged 20-member ward enlightenment team for each of the various wards across the state with a view to effectively sensitize all residents of the state on the need to get vaccinated against the virus.
He equally stated that a total of 395 persons had tested positive to the new variant but no casualty had been recorded in the state so far since the outbreak the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
The Commissioner appealed to residents of the state to continue to observe all the COVID-19 protocols in order to curtail the spread of the virus through the wearing of face masks, regular hand washing, use of sanitizers, regular wiping of surfaces and being vaccinated as sure ways of overcoming the spread of the virus.
Additional reports by Oghenero Orovwuje
