On The New Covid-19 Case In Delta
A new Coronavirus case has been confirmed in Delta following the result of the test of a 36 year old lady which returned positive.
From the Press release by the Chief Press Secretary to Dr. Richard Kofi, the Ughelli South LGA Chairman, those who came in contact with the lady have been identified and are now in isolation for proper medical checks.
By this new case and following the record of movements of the vector before arriving at the Otu-Jeremi General Hospital, the virus may have stepped down from it's high horse of (Na big people e dey catch) to the common people in the lower rung of the social strata.
The implication of this is that many may have contracted the virus given it's contagious
nature unknowing to them having been exposed to the latest victim and several other people she may have come across.
At this point, one's mind quickly goes to the likelihood of community spread of the virus. This calls for urgent proactive measures to be taken.
The reason is simple - the lockdown is viewed in many quarter's as an "unnecessary distraction", no thanks to the hunger virus arising from staying home. Of course, we have in the past weeks been inundated with reports of the lockdown order being flouted as people go about trying to eke a means of sustenance.
Therefore, it is imperative that all place's where the said lady had visited be temporarily shut down, with immediate intentional moves for isolation of persons in those affected place's as well as compulsory testing for them.
Contact tracing at this point shouldn't be subject to debate. Residents of Bendel Estate in Warri where she's said to be domiciled, Her boyfriend and other's in Utuama Street in Udu where she was reported to had visited, and indeed, every other person she had contact with on her way to and in Otu-Jeremi should in the overriding interest of public safety WILLINGLY ISOLATE and make arrangement with relevant NCDC and health officials for compulsory testing.
From the Press release, I understand she's responding very well to treatment, I hope she helps with relevant information on her movement, contacts and itinerary before she got hospitalized. This will help a great deal.
This is the sacrifice we must make to curtail the spread of this marauding pandemic. Should it spread among the poor members of the society, it will be disastrous, even as the consequences will be better imagined than experienced.
As it now is, the need for a testing centre in Delta state becomes even more important, nay urgent. The Delta State Government, while doing its best to arrest this virus from spreading should work out ways to establish a testing centre in one of the hospitals in the state.
Today's case makes this whole thing evermore scary. Compulsory testing of residents as it is now the case in Lagos and some other African countries won't be a bad idea.
Granted, times are hard, there is hunger in the land, but it's best if we stay alive to tell how a virus threatened our corporate existence in the early months of AD 2020. That can only happen if we stay alive. We have lost much already, we don't have to loose our lives too. Please, let's adhere religiously to the safety and preventive measures given already.
To cushion the effect of staying home, let's be our neighbour's keeper. Sharing should be encouraged. Those who have should give to those who deservedly need whatever they want to share. It cost us nothing but arrest the temptation of wanting to go out to hustle, thus mitigating the possibility of community spread.
Lets not panic, coronavirus isn't a death sentence. If you don't understand how you are feeling, please reach out for medical checks. No need to be ashamed. Rest assured, we will pull through this.
Don't contract coronavirus, but if you do, don't spread it.
I am Precious Igho Otabomwovo.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please Leave Your Comment Here