Anxiety as Sanwo-Olu tests positive, El-Rufai in isolation amid second COVID-19 wave

Nigerians are beginning to express anxiety due to reports of a likely second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, amid an economic recession and job losses reputedly caused by the first wave of the pandemic.

This is as the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19, while his Kaduna State counterpart, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, also on Friday evening announced that he was going into self-isolation as one of his family members and a government official tested positive for the virus.

It was the second time El-Rufai would go into isolation since February when the index case of the coronavirus was recorded in the country.

Sanwo-Olu’s status was confirmed about 24 hours after he went into self-isolation when one of his close aides tested positive for the virus.

The state Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, in a statement on Saturday titled, ‘Sanwo-Olu undergoes COVID-19 treatment,’ said a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test performed on the governor confirmed that he had tested positive for the virus and already showing mild symptoms and fatigue.

Abayomi said, “Following Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19, a PCR test performed yesterday (Friday) has confirmed that he has indeed been infected with the virus, which is supported by mild symptoms and fatigue typical of a mild case of COVID.

“Mr Governor is receiving treatment and is being closely monitored at home by the very experienced state COVID-19 clinical team from IDH (Infectious Disease Hospital) Yaba.”

Also, El-Rufai in a short video message on Friday on his verified social media handles, said he hoped to be tested today (Sunday).

There had been warnings of an impending second wave of the coronavirus in recent times as a number of European countries such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, Greece, the Netherlands, and Italy have been recording daily increases in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Countries such as the UK, France and Germany recently went into a second lockdown due to the resurgent pandemic.

The Federal Government, in response, had recently alerted isolation centres in the country to be prepared for a possible reopening.

Amid all these, COVID-19 deaths started rising with a number of Nigerian VIPs, home and abroad, losing the battle to the virulent disease.

One of such people was the Ibadan, Oyo State-based billionaire, Harry Akande, who died from COVID-19 complications.

This was followed by the sudden death of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Major General Olu Irefin.

Irefin was said to be a participant at the Nigerian Army’s 2020 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference in Abuja, during which he fell ill and was taken to the hospital on Tuesday evening. He later tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatment before he died.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, had also reportedly cancelled invitations to the wedding of his son, Hamisu Tukur Buratai, after the late Irefin tested positive for COVID-19 at the ongoing COAS Annual Conference in Abuja.

In view of the latest developments, anxiety has been building up among Nigerians, who have largely jettisoned social distancing, use of face masks, and other COVID-19 protocols.

For instance, the death on Friday evening of the Chairman of LEADERSHIP newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah, is said to be causing panic in the media circle in Nigeria, SUNDAY PUNCH reports.

Although the deceased’s family did not disclose the cause of his death in the statement they issued, media reports suggested that he could have died of COVID-19 complications.

The development has spread fears among media practitioners, especially those who had contacts with Nda-Isaiah recently.

The late newspaper owner was said to have participated actively in last Tuesday’s meeting of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria in Lagos, during which the Chairman of Media Trust Limited, Kabiru Yusuf, emerged as the new President.

All newspaper owners who attended the event had contacts with the deceased.

Sources in one of the national newspapers based in Abuja told one of our correspondents on Saturday that all members of staff who had contact with Nda-Isaiah after he participated in the NPAN meeting had been asked to go into self-isolation with immediate effect.

One of the sources said, “The general belief is that Nda-Isaiah died of COVID-19 and so there is a need for all those who had contact with him to be careful.

“Our chairman had contact with him during the NPAN meeting and he  (our chairman) had had meetings with some members of staff after his return.

“So, the management has instructed that all senior staff members who had contacts with our chairman should immediately proceed on self-isolation. That has started.”

Sunday PUNCH learnt that another newspaper house had directed its reporters and interns to start working from home from Sunday (today).

One of our correspondents is in possession of a memo from the editor directing that only editors and desks heads are expected in the newsroom henceforth.

The memo issued on Saturday made a veiled reference to Nda-Isaiah and Irefin who died recently.

The memo read, “From recent NCDC updates, a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic is with us. It has claimed the lives of at least two prominent Nigerians this week.

“With all of us vulnerable through community transmission, we need to step up the observance of the protocols again in the office.”

Over 4,000 cases recorded in one week

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country surged to over 3,513 in one week, data on the NCDC website has revealed.

The data showed that between Saturday, December 5, and December 12, 2020, the number of cases had hit 3,513 nationwide. The figure rose to 4, 130 by Saturday night.

On Saturday, Nigeria recorded 617 COVID-19 cases, having recorded 796 cases on Friday.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 72,757; the number of discharged persons was given as 65,850 while 1,194 deaths have been recorded.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily press briefing in Abuja on Thursday warned that Nigeria might be on the verge of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, given the rising number of cases in recent times.

He said, “We are seeing the increase in the number of confirmed COVID–19 cases in the last few days. Last week, we recorded 1,843 against 1,235 we recorded two weeks before. In the past 24 hours, 474 new confirmed cases and two deaths were recorded.”

Ehanire also said the government was set to reopen the COVID-19 isolation centres, citing an increase in the number of fresh cases in more than five months.

Also, the NCDC on Friday said it had recorded an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country.

In an advisory published on its website on Friday titled, ‘Public Health Advisory Following Increase in [the] Number of COVID-19 Cases in Nigeria,’ NCDC stated that as of December 10, over 71,000 confirmed cases and 1,190 deaths had been reported across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

NCDC said since the beginning of September to the end of November, the country had recorded a gradual increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

“However, in the last week (30th of November to the 6th of December), our surveillance system has recorded a sharp increase in cases. The average number of daily cases recorded in the last week was higher than what was recorded between September and November,” NCDC stated.

The commission said the increase in the number of cases was noticeable across 23 states, but noted that 73 per cent of the new cases were recorded in Lagos, Kaduna and the FCT.

It said eight of the 23 states with the increased number of cases reported a record high number of weekly cases last week.

NCDC said now was not the time for Nigerians to let their guard down, advising the people to adhere to COVID-19 protocols.

“Limit all non-essential domestic and international travels. This is especially important for intending travellers from countries recording a high number of COVID-19 cases. If you must travel to Nigeria, please adhere to the seven-day isolation period and post-arrival test,” it warned.

The commission reminded Nigerians to observe protocols such as wearing of face masks in the public, social distancing, frequent handwashing with soap and running water, among other measures.

Negligence of protocols responsible for likely second wave –Experts

Experts have said the likely COVID-19 second wave is as a result of the jettisoning of COVID-19 protocols by Nigerians.

A consultant physician and gastroenterologist in Internal Medicine at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Dr Nnenna Ajayi, said the rising cases of COVID-19 infections was suggestive of a second wave and advised Nigerians to return to the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Federal Government.

“Yes, there seems to be a second wave and the Federal Government is right in what it is saying. We are beginning to see more cases than in a few months back.

“So, the issue is that Nigerians have to know that it is not yet over. Some of those measures we put in place at the heat [of the virus] have to be adopted again,” Ajayi said.

She added that the second wave might be as a result of return to large gatherings such as religious and social ones.

Also, a virologist at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof David Olaleye, said the recent increase in COVID-19 cases was caused mainly by the fact that Nigerians had let their guard down.

He said, “The recent increase is caused by a lot of factors and the major one is the fact that we let down our guards. There was a decline in the number of COVID-19 tests carried out and very few states were being reported; this caused the death toll to decrease.

“That gave a lot of people the false impression that the spread had been effectively controlled and people became lackadaisical in their attitude. 

Unknown to us that a lot of people had been infected and about 80 per cent of them were asymptomatic, people stopped using their masks, observing social distancing, and tests were not being carried out. So, people started going out to parties, churches, mosques, and social gatherings without their masks.”

Olaleye also pointed out that many youths who participated in the recent #EndSARS protests without observing COVID-19 guidelines must have also contributed to it as many who were asymptomatic went to their homes, offices, and worship centres to infect the elderly ones.

However, the don cautioned against a second lockdown “because livelihood is as important as life itself.”

Olaleye added, “To have programmes during the festive season, there must be strict adherence to the public health measures for prevention of the virus. 

Therefore, people must adhere to the measures of hand hygiene, nose and mouth covering i.e. masking and physical/social distancing.

People must be reminded that doing these things will save lives so they can enjoy future activities. Organisers of those activities and individuals attending must prevent the spreading of the virus.”

PUNCH