By Faith Nyasuguta
Nigeria’s capital city Lagos is facing a “potential wave three” of the Covid-19 virus, the state governor has said.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu warned that those who break rules on the Covid-19 measures will be imprisoned or pay huge fines.
Lagos is set to boost its vaccination campaign after it recently detected the delta variant first discovered in India from an incoming traveler.
Unlike other parts of the African continent, Nigeria has not been overwhelmed by the Coronavirus.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak in late 2019, the nation has recorded slightly above 168,000 cases and some 2,124 fatalities.
Last week, officials from the Nation’s Centre for Disease( NCDC) reported that they had detected the Delta variant, putting healthcare workers and the country at large on alert.
It however remains unknown when the traveler jetted into the country.
“From the beginning of July, we started to experience a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1% at the end of June 2021 to its current rate of 6.6% as of 8th of July 2021,” Lagos state governor Sanwo-Olu said via a statement.
“The rapid increase within a week gives great cause for concern.”
Since its outbreak, the city of Lagos has been the hotbed for Nigeria’s Covid-19 pandemic.
It has reported almost 40 per cent of the total cases equalling 60,366 confirmed cases.
For Lagos, all incoming passengers must self-isolate while those from red-listed nations including Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, and India must quarantine in a state facility.
