Lagos State has intensified home treatment for coronavirus patients with mild symptoms as positive cases continue to rise.
Wednesday night, out of the 284 new cases announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the state recorded 199.
Ten other states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded as follows: Rivers (26); Oyo (19); eight each in FCT and Borno; Plateau (seven); Jigawa (six); Kano (five); Abia (two) and one each in Ekiti, Delta, Kwara and Taraba.
The NCDC put the national tally at 6,677, discharged patients at 1840 and the recorded deaths at 200.
Lagos State is running out of bed spaces as a result of the number of cases being recorded.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, said: “We have exceeded the containment phase now. We are at the active community transmission stage.
“We will be concentrating on people with severe cases and isolating them while mild cases will be managed at home. Our attention is shifting to community-based isolation.”
Rapid testing for COVID-19 is ongoing in the armed forces and the police in Lagos following the discovery of many positive cases among officers and men, it was learnt.
Many security agents working in the state, the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, might have contracted Coronavirus in the course of duty because they are mostly medical officers, The Nation learnt yesterday.
It was also learnt that most of those on the front line in enforcing presidential COVID-19 prevention orders such as lockdown and social distancing had fallen sick and resorted to taking malaria drugs and other herbal mixtures.
Some of the operatives, it was gathered, were among those quarantined at isolation and treatment centres across the state.
A Naval Lieutenant commander died from coronavirus complications at the weekend, causing panic among officers and men of the Navy.
Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of Western Naval Command Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, who confirmed the officer’s death, explained that he failed to survive because of his underlying ailment.
Rear Admiral Daji said: “He was on treatment but unfortunately, had complications on Saturday night and before we could rush him to the hospital, he gave up.
“All those that had contact with him have been traced. He lived alone. He was unmarried. Four people had contacts with him. They are someone who visited when he heard that the officer was in isolation; his driver, orderly and steward.
“Their samples have all been taken and they have been isolated, we are expecting that their results will come out but there’s no cause for alarm at all.”
The FOC said there are other eight positive cases of Naval officers/men in the command, adding that over 1,300 tests had been conducted.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Olu Irefin, said the division only recorded a confirmed case of a female soldier who has been receiving treatment.
He said precautions were immediately taken to prevent virus spread because personnel of the division were part of the larger society.
“It is not true that many of my personnel have COVID-19. But we know we are part of the larger society. We only have one case and it is a female soldier on course.
“She is receiving treatment. We have our COVID-19 response team formed by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and our isolation centre in Yaba. We have all the testing equipment and kits. We have been carrying out testing of our personnel when there is suspicion,” he said.
Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumosu said only two of his men were confirmed for COVID-19. He said they had been treated and discharged.
“You should know that there are many police formations in Lagos. When they say police in Lagos, it does not necessarily mean Lagos State Command. We have CP Railway, Command, Maritime, CP Airport, CP SFU, CP Anti-Fraud, among others and they have personnel too.
“But if you are referring to my command, I can tell you that only two persons had the virus and they have been treated and discharged.”
The Navy has mandated its personnel on joint operations to comply with all regulations on COVID-19 prevention. It was learnt that a taskforce had been put in place to ensure unscheduled visits to spots and to sanction those not maintaining social distancing or wearing face masks.
“Nose mask is compulsory. The command also produced pocket sanitisers that they gave to those of us on the field with strict warning to ensure we use it especially those who cannot avoid touching their faces.
“We were also given dedicated numbers to call medical workers for assistance should the need arise,” said a Naval rating.
Rear Admiral Daji said: “We have been taking precautions. We have been calling Lagos COVID-19 response to make sure tests are conducted because of the nature of our work. We have been sending samples for test.
“Thankfully, most of the cases are serving in the medical centres so it is possible that it was from there they got it. Because of this, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas procured 1,800 PPEs and we distributed them to all our medical personnel in Lagos.
“You know they have to touch and see patients and most of these patients are civilian patients that come to our hospitals because of the modern equipment in our hospital.
“The CNS directed that every medical personnel, before they see any patient, must have their personal protective equipment. We distributed to all medical facilities in Lagos so we believe with that, they would be confident to do their work and they will be protected at the same time.”