The Ogun State, chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has raised the alarm over the possible spread of COVID-19 in the state.
It, therefore, asked the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to lock down the state for at least two weeks in view of the increasing cases of COVID–19 across the country.
The State Chairman of the association, Dr Ismail Lawal, said this while addressing journalists at the NMA House in Abeokuta.
Lawal said the lockdown would allow the government and health officials to track down some undetected cases in the state.
He further said shutting down of all the activities in the state would prevent the state from getting more cases in the coming weeks.
The NMA chairman warned that the number of coronavirus patients and the contacts so far identified in the state “are just infraction of cases” that were looming in the state.
He maintained that the situation on the ground had shown that the state was not prepared to manage multiple cases of COVID-19.
He stressed that the total lockdown would be for the benefit of everybody in the state at the end of the day.
He described the situation as an emergency which he said must be tackled with seriousness to safe people from contracting the virus.
He said, “This is the time for emergency, whatever resources anywhere should be put together to curb the menace.
“It is only when we manage our people that we can work and government can get money in the long run or in weeks to come.
But the state government said there had not been any reason for lockdown of the state, though it was an option.
The Special Adviser to the state Governor on Public Communications, Remmy Hazzan, said this on Thursday.
Hazzan said the government was taking steps as the events were unfolding.
The government spokesperson said the essence of the government actions was to avoid pressing a panic button.
Hazzan, however, said the government would not hesitate to lock down the state any moment it saw the reason to do so.
The state had on Tuesday recorded another case of COVID-19 in Sagamu through a returnee from the United Kingdom with 32 contacts. Hazzan said despite the new case the situation had not warranted imposing a lockdown on the people.
