COVID-19 Infections Rise By 326.67% In One Week, Nigerians Shun Safety Rules

COVID-19 cases  are on the increase raising fears that the country is on the verge of the fourth wave of coronavirus, findings by Punch have shown.

Epidemiological data obtained on Sunday from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control showed that from November 28 to December 4, a total of 585 cases were reported.

But from December 5 to December 11, the cases took a new surge as 2,496 cases were reported, indicating an increase of 1,911 (326.67 per cent).

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Punch correspondents on Sunday reported that Nigerians had abandoned adherence to coronavirus protocols such as use of face masks and hand washing.

In Lagos, it was observed that churches, mosques and other public places were no more enforcing the use of face masks

Also, residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, said there was no need for them to adhere to the protocols since the virus “has gone.”

In Zamfara State,  visits to public places such as markets, mosques and churches on Sunday showed that the people had completely abandoned the COVID- 19 protocols.

Similarly, government officials have also stopped wearing face masks in both their offices and officials functions.

In Ogun state, many residents are no longer adhering strictly to the protocols.

In a related development, the NCDC showed that 22,863 coronavirus tests were conducted between November 29 and December 11 compared to  103,358 tests conducted between November 22 and November 28, signifying a 77.8 per cent drop in testing rate.

The NCDC data also indicated that 13 states including  Kogi, Kebbi, Yobe, Cross River, Sokoto, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Ebonyi, Anambra, Nasarawa and Akwa Ibom had stopped COVID-19 tests.

-Punch