The Anambra State government has called on residents of the state to take active precautionary measures against COVID-19, as the state’s confirmed cases continue to rise.
Vincent Okpala, the Commissioner for Health, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Awka on Saturday.
He said the ministry had concluded plans to collaborate with the Joint Emergency Preparedness and Rapid Response Team to ensure that everybody in the state was not ignorant of the virus.
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Mr Okpala, a medical doctor, said that COVID-19 confirmed cases in Anambra had risen to 118, while 67 had recovered and discharged and a record of 12 deaths reported in the state.
“It is frightening that at this point in time most residents of the state do not believe in the existence of the virus. It is time to take action to avoid wider spread of the virus,” he said.
He reminded the people of the state that the pandemic still exists and kills, hence the need for all to take responsibility and be safe and alive.
Mr Okpala said that being coronavirus positive was not a death sentence and advised the public to report to healthcare centres immediately they notice any symptom of the disease in their body.
“The virus is best treated at the early stage. There is no need to cover up the disease because it would be more dangerous,” he said.
He said that 69 per cent of the 118 confirmed cases in the state were men, while 31 were women.
Mr Okpala assured health workers’ of their protection against the virus and appealed that they should not relent in their service to humanity.
The commissioner assured that all interventions deployed to fight COVID-19 would be used in support of health system strengthening in the state.
“We are in constant touch with Representatives of World Health Organisation, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, UNICEF and Red Cross.
“Civil Society Organisations, among other critical bodies in the fight against coronavirus pandemic in Anambra.
“We need to keep fighting against the highly infectious and deadly disease to achieve positive results,” he said.
(NAN)
