80% of infected persons not in isolation centres, says Nigerian Government

The Federal Government on Thursday urged Nigerians to prepare for difficult days ahead as cases of corona virus infections continue to rise. It also raised the alarm that 80 percent of infected persons were not in isolation centres.

The government warned that the effect of increased transmission of the dreaded disease would seen in three weeks through increased death figures as a result of the pandemic, adding that the risk of infection is now higher.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, told reporters in Abuja that Nigeria is not out of the woods yet.

The SGF noted that 80 per cent of infected persons are not in isolation centres because of fear of stigmatisation.

He said the government is taking care of  only 20 per cent of patient who show up at isolation centres after developing critical symptoms.

Mustapha said: “You may care to know that almost 80 per cent of people that are infected are in no form of isolation centre or hospital. We are just caring for about 20 per cent that have decided to show up or provide themselves when they are critically ill for the management and care.”

Mustapha said that Nigerians must cooperate with government to tackle the challenge of resistance to change.

– The Nation