By Damilola Kushimo
The spike in positive cases of Covid-19 in Oshodi-Isolo LGA from 3 as at March 30 to 127 as at May 30 this year is sending the jitters down the nerves of health practitioners who worry that the widespread refusal to obey social distancing and other rules mandated by the government to fight the pandemic might spur a higher spike in the community.
As at the last week of May, the total figure of 127 persons that tested positive to COVID-19 comprised Isolo LCDA, 46; Ejigbo LCDA, 47 and Oshodi-Isolo LGA, 33.
It was 30 at the end of April.
However, there are indications that the number has, by June 7, risen to 132 according to figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control though Echonews is yet to obtain the breakdown to verify the number of positives in the LGA and LCDAs
Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area(LGA) with an estimated population of 1.5million, includes Isolo Local Council Development Area, (LCDA) and Ejigbo Local Council Development Area,(LCDA).
At 0.0084 percent, the number of positive cases to the total population seems insignificant but the statistic is viewed differently in human terms because it signals that no fewer than 127 families and their network of friends may be affected and need to undergo contact tracing. The figure could lead to as a many as 1,270.
Thé Medical Officer of Health (MOH), Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA),
Dr. Baqiah Nojimudeen-Yesufu, who is one of the medical doctors overseeing the collection of samples for Covid-19 test at Ajibulu Sample Collection centre, Mafoluku Oshodi, advised that urgent steps must be taken while giving the breakdown of the figures of positives cases recorded in Oshodi, Isolo and Ejigbo.
Dr. Baqiah Nojimudeen-Yesufu who disclosed the facts advised that to further curtail the spread of the ravaging pandemic in the community, residents across the council areas have to take personal protection seriously..
In a recent analysis of the cases in various communities released by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi last week, there was 3. 9 per cent increase in the positive cases recorded in Oshodi-Isolo.
NCDC’s figures rank Oshodi-Isolo LGA 10th in the state and 13th out of 20 seriously affected local governments in the entire country.
So far, no fewer than 67 deaths have been recorded in Lagos out of 1,151 cases.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu who doubles as the incident commander recently announced that no fewer than 994 persons have been discharged after treatment at the state’s five isolation centres at Yaba, Onikan, Agidingbi, Gbagada and Ajah.
These facts are driving the fear of a spike in local governments and the need to change current attitudes of denial of the pandemic and non-compliance with regulations and preventive measures rolled out by the governments at the state and federal levels.
A medical expert, Dr. Abayomi jibowu said there is need for the people in the community to be fully aware of the effect of the virus.
According to him, many residents still flout the guidelines given by the government to curb community spread of the coronavirus, noting that they have no regards for the use of face masks even in the public while many others do not observe the guidelines such as regular washing of hands and use of sanitiser.
According to the medical expert, the increased cases of Covid-19 in Oshodi-Isolo are worrisome, calling for more caution by the government and the residents.
Dr. Nojimudeen-Yesufu emphasized that the government needs to intensify effort on public awareness programme, noting that some residents are still ignorant of the effect of contracting the virus.
She said: “I won’t say the figure is fair, it is a number we all need to be worried about, even in the face of the council authorities’ proactive and relentless efforts to curtail its spread we now we have a figure that is significant enough.
“If, as individual and collective members of the public, we have been 100 per cent responsible to ourselves, we won’t be having a figure that is as much as this but, here we are. If I protect myself and others protect themselves, there is no way it can spread and keep spreading and that’s why we’ve been consistent in enlightening the residents about the virus, especially how to keep ourselves safe from contracting it.”
Résidents have been urged to observe regular hand washing, social distancing, face mask usage to overcome this virus in our locality.
“But, if people’s compliance to the measures is not encouraging, government might have to come out with stricter means of enforcement to ensure adherence to the preventive measures.” She warned.