Delta State now have a total number of 400 confirmed Coronavirus cases with over 200 active cases which kept increasing on daily basis.
A cross section of Deltans alleged that the Covid-19 boarder taskforce team of many irregularities while carrying out their jobs at the boarder towns for collecting bribe from travellers.
Addressing Government House Correspondents on the level of infection, the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, blamed the increase on people who refused to practice the precautionary measures put in place to prevent the spread of the disease.
He lamented the high level of infection, due to the lackadaisical attitude of people who erroneously believe that the pandemic was a fluke.
In two days, the state, recorded 83 confirmed cases of COVID-19, due to community transmission and failure of people to observe prescribed protocols such as wearing of face mask in public places, social and physical distancing and other measures to to keep the virus in check.
The enforcement of the various precautionary measures in the state, has been thrown to the wind as Deltans including other residents have continued with their normal lives.
According to the governor, treatment centres in the state were already full of patients, emphasising that caution was needed to manage the alarming rate of infection and transmission.
He advocated the need for everybody to be at alert as the level of immunity of people differs, pointing out that those with symptoms of the disease should go to the hospital for treatment before they become big risk to their family members, friends and colleagues.
It was alleged in some quarters that sick persons who visits the hospitals for medical test including those who accommodated them are forced into isolation before the test results are released.
While saying that his administration would do everything possible to manage the situation, the governor appealed to residents to avoid large congregation of people so as to mitigate the spread of the disease.
He reiterated that the 400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded in the state as at June 18, 2020 was possible due to the failure of people to obey stipulated guidelines for the containment of the disease.
“As at today we have lost 18 persons to COVID-19 pandemic in Delta including very prominent persons and people are still telling us that there is no COVID-19.
“In just two days (Wednesday, June 17 and Thursday, June 18, 2020), we had 83 confirmed cases of corona virus disease in the state; in spite of this obvious fact, some Deltans are still doubting the reality of COVID-19.
“I want to plead with all Deltans that it is time for us to realise that there is community transmission of the disease which can affect anybody if adequate care was not taken,” Okowa stated.
If precautionary measures are not observed, there are speculations that in few weeks, Delta’s Covid-19 cases may skyrocket beyond imagined.
Governor Okowa opined that the dreaded COVID-19 could only be eliminated with behavioural change of the entire citizens of the country.
