COVID -19: Social distancing, key to slowing outbreak of virus – Information minister

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says social distancing is a key element of all plans to slow the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak spread in the country.

Mohammed said this while the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire was giving an update on the disease in the country, to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

He said that social distancing meant putting physical space between people, noting that by increasing the distance between sick individuals and healthy people, the risk of infection would reduce and fewer people would get sick.

The minister said the government needed everyone to practice social distancing to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

“As Nigerians, we can all do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are in this together.

“Nobody is taking this seriously because there are still many non essential businesses operating,” he noted.

Mohammed said the relevant agencies had continued to advise the general public through different mediums that public health required all Nigerians to commit to the solution and that meant social distancing.

The minister said that no Nigerian should assume that they could not be infected by the virus and that it could be a fatal mistake, quite literally.

“This virus does not respect borders. It does not distinguish between races or ethnicities. It has no regard for anyone,” he said.

The minister encouraged Nigerians to listen to directives by Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and practice hand washing.

“If you know anyone who recently came into the country from anywhere, insist they and their families self isolate. We must do the right thing to win the fight against COVID-19 in the country,” he advised.

Earlier, Ehanire, said that as at March 23, 2020, 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Nigeria. Of the 36 confirmed cases, 25 were in Lagos, 6 in FCT, 2 in Ogun, 1 in Edo, 1 in Ekiti and 1 in Oyo..

He said that of the 36 cases, 26 had travel history to affected countries in the last two weeks, six were contacts of confirmed cases and four had no travel history or known contact.

“Sadly, we recorded our first death from COVID-19 in the country. This was a Nigerian who unfortunately, had underlying illnesses and died due to complications on the 22nd of March in Abuja. He had travelled to the United Kingdom,” he said.

He said that as of the 23rd of March 2020, 36 cases have been confirmed, two cases have been discharged and one death recorded from COVID-19 in Nigeria. Of the 34 active cases, 33 were clinically stable with mild symptoms. One patient is oxygen-dependent.