Metro
It’s a miracle: Lagos records zero new coronavirus case, 24 hours after posting 70
In what many Nigerians are calling divine intervention, Lagos State on Monday recorded zero cases of coronavirus.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) website and verified Twitter handle said that the last time Lagos reported nil was Monday, April 6.
Interestingly, on Sunday, April 19, the nation’s commercial hub reported seventy, the highest in 24 hours since the index patient.
The fresh development suggests that the trajectory in Lagos and Abuja are in sharp contrast pending the next official numbers.
But there are apprehensions that Kano could announce an uptick due to average compliance.
Currently, the country has 665 confirmed cases in 25 states; 376 (56.6 per cent) of the sum are in Lagos.
The ‘miracle’ in the state, Nigeria’s epicentre of the pandemic, came at a time the human and vehicular traffic was increasing.
Videos on social media revealed that more roads and areas were gradually returning to the norm in defiance of the ‘stay indoor’ directive.
This is not surprising for a city of 22 million populace yet to receive cash or food items from neither the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government nor the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
While the Lagos officials bungled the short-lived palliatives distribution, even used sabotage as an excuse, Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Farouq, told the world that 130,455 (30.5 per cent) out of 428,941 beneficiaries received cash aid in Katsina, Buhari’s home state.
According to DAILY POST, there are four categories of Lagosians leaving the confines of their homes.
Several insist that they are sick and tired of staying indoors, while others argue the need to go out to try to earn a living amid the hardship. Another set says they are protecting their houses/streets, while some others straightforwardly claimed essential duties/outings.
Shortly after the initial declaration of the presidential lockdown, residents, mostly on the mainland section of Lagos, volunteered to be members of vigilance groups on guard day and night.
In the course of the past three weeks, they have kept vigil over their neighbourhoods against robbers and other criminals unleashing violence at will.
To them, social distancing can only be observed if security of lives and property is guaranteed.
But Nigerian security agencies repeatedly affirm that they are on top of the situation.
However, analysts have warned that it is not yet Uhuru.
They posit that excitement over zero COVID-19 cases could be dampened for the reason that hundreds of those who had contact with infected persons were yet to be examined.
Meanwhile, the Lagos government has released a comprehensive list of COVID-19 Test Centres across the state.
The facilities located in the 20 Local Government Areas will conduct tests strictly by appointment.
Members of the public were urged to make requests to the centre closest to them.
-
Entertainment11 hours ago
Lagos Police apologise to DJ Switch over arrest misinformation
-
Politics15 hours ago
EFCC arraigns ex-Kogi gov, Yahaya Bello on money laundering charges
-
Economy13 hours ago
Nigeria’s debt repayments behind FX reserves decline – CBN
-
Politics11 hours ago
Northern elders deny ‘regret voting for Tinubu’ statement
-
Entertainment10 hours ago
Chess Master Tunde Onakoya hits 20-hour mark on GWR quest
-
Politics10 hours ago
Court refuses to drop N4bn fraud charges against ex-Anambra gov
-
Crime9 hours ago
Nasarawa man slits Okada rider’s throat, steals bike
-
Politics9 hours ago
Yahaya Bello absence stalls EFCC arraignment