Delta state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has lamented over the increasing cases of coronavirus in the state, saying it had become obvious that community transmission of the virus had reached an alarming and frightening proportion.
In a statement personally signed by him on Saturday, the governor said it was regrettable that many persons still think that the coronavirus disease was a hoax.
“It cannot be a hoax when over 20 persons have died including some prominent citizens.
“Therefore, I want to make a passionate appeal to all Deltans to please realise that the coronavirus disease is real.’’
So far, Delta state has recorded 781 positive cases.
According to him, On Thursday, June 25, 2020, Delta state recorded 106 cases, coming only behind Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic. The latest figure from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that on Friday, June 26, Delta recorded 66 additional cases.
“This brings the total number of infected persons in the state so far to 781. The local governments mostly affected are Oshimili South (181), Warri South (128), Uvwie (112), Oshimili North (79), Ughelli North (74), Ethiope West (41), and Sapele (66),’’ Okowa stated.
He further said, “The state government allowed normal business activities to go on in essential sectors of the economy to enable citizens take care of their families. It does not in any way suggest that the danger is over.
“We made this decision with all sense of responsibility while counting on your partnership with the Government to defeat this virus. Regrettably, it does appear our people have not taken this matter as seriously as they should.
“Our isolation centres are currently overwhelmed with the number of cases and unless we proactively and collectively take drastic actions to reverse the trend, we stand the risk of becoming another epicentre for the pandemic.
“In the absence of a specific curative drug, the only way to check the transmission of the virus is for all of us to adhere strictly to the NCDC-issued guidelines and safety protocols, which are the social distancing, regular washing of hands, use of hand sanitizers and wearing of face masks.”
