COVID-19: Infections to rise further as third-wave peaks – experts

Nigeria is beginning to see increased cases of COVID-19 as amid the third wave, with disease experts predicting that infections will rise further in the coming days. This, they say, is due to poor compliance with preventive measures.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 222 percent rise in infections on Wednesday as 1, 149 cases were recorded.

The spike following a daily average of 560 infections since the beginning of August marks the start of what experts describe as a peaking curve, which they say isn’t shocking since the community spread of the virus has continued and importation through in-bound travellers keeps pacing.

The last time Nigeria saw a similar amount of infections was in December 2020 (1145) just as the second wave of the pandemic began to peak.

Oyewale Tomori, a professor of virology in a chat with BusinessDay wondered why many Nigerians still do not believe there is the COVID-19 virus is in the country despite rising numbers from only one-third of the 36 states.

Caution has been thrown to the wind since governments lifted lockdown and eased activities in many sectors of the economy. People stopped wearing masks, hand-washing basins have disappeared in public places and physical distancing are not maintained except in some corporate organisations.

The rise is especially bad news for Lagos state where the majority of the cases (37.6 per cent) were detected.

“The virus, like the mobile phone is immobile until human beings move it around and allow the virus to mutate and become variants of concern. Masks can stop the virus in its tracts including the variants,” Tomori, former vice-chancellor of Bowen University told BusinessDay.

Read also: Businesses on edge as COVID-19 third wave peaks

“More important than government regulation and guidelines is the compliance by the citizens. We, the people, play a more important role than the government in covid19 control.”

In a mailed response to BusinessDay, Chikwe Ihekweazu, NCDC director-general said the recent increases in COVID-19 infections which has been associated with the Delta variant of the virus in most countries has more to do with the resumption of social gatherings with poor adherence to public health and social measures in Nigeria.

The situation, he said, highlights the urgent need for Nigerians to take personal and collective responsibility, noting that the pandemic is not over.

“It is important that we recognise the risk the virus poses and adhere to the known preventive measures by avoiding large gatherings, wearing a face mask properly in public settings, washing hands regularly with clean water and soap or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser where the former is unavailable,” Ihekweazu said.

He further urged travellers to adhere to international travel protocol including self-isolation and getting tested on arrival.