…Lagos generating new list of absconders for prosecution
…State targets 60 percent vaccination of residents
IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday disclosed that 15 percent of 5,178 air passengers had absconded from isolation centres in the State, noting that the State Goverment is currently generating new list of absconders for disciplinary actions.
Govenror who made the disclosure while giving the update on coronavirus pandemic in the State at Alausa, Ikeja, hinted that the State target not less than 60 percent of its population to be administered with vaccines.
Sanwo-Olu who also said that there is currently an influx of school students who are on summer vacation into the country, stated that there would be proper monitoring to manage the third wave.
Sanwo-Olu said, “I am pleased to address you once again, in line with our commitment to continually update you on the progress of our collective fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. As I noted in my last address, on the 10th of July 2021, from the beginning of July we started to experience an increase in the number of daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lagos State, with the positivity rate going from 1.1% at the end of June 2021 to 7% at the end of July 2021.
“As at the 1st of August 2021, the positivity rate in Lagos is 8.9%. This is an 8-fold increase over the recorded figure a month ago, and it should rightly alarm all of us. This has resulted in 4,300 confirmed cases in July alone and 352 admissions into our isolation facilities.
Sanwo-Olu explained that from the beginning of the outbreak in February 2020, Lagos State had recorded a total of 64,032 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Out of this number, 56,336 have recovered in community, 2,755 are being managed actively in community.
Over the course of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, about 5,029 patients have been admitted into our various COVID-19 care centres in Lagos, adding 390 fatalities have been recorded in the State.
He added that 30 of the 390 deaths had taken place in the current 3rd wave of the pandemic.
The Governor said, “Essentially, we have recorded on average 6 deaths per day since last week. 3 Home-Based Care Given the huge population of our State and the rising numbers of confirmed cases during the first and second waves of the pandemic, it became necessary for us to deploy telemedicine in managing positive patients.
“But let me make it clear that this necessary sense of alarm should not be responded to with panic, but instead with a firm to resolve and determination to reverse the trend. We have done it before and we can do it again
“Sanctions Against Quarantine Defaulters as dictated by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID19 (PSC), passengers from red-listed countries (India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey) are required to observe mandatory isolation.
“So far, we have successfully isolated 5,178 passengers in Lagos State. Of this number, 15% have absconded. Following the publication of the names of absconders by the PSC, compliance to the mandatory isolation protocols increased significantly.
“However, several travellers from red-list countries have refused to isolate and/or have absconded. This is reprehensible behaviour and has shown that these individuals are particularly reckless with no compassion for their fellow citizens who may be medically vulnerable.
“We are now generating a new absconders list, which will be sent to the Presidential Steering Committee and the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, who have indicated that the following sanctions will be applied to absconders.”
According to him, “For Foreigners: Revocation of their Permanent Residency and deportation; and For Nigerians: Prosecution to the full extent of the Federal Government and Lagos State COVID-19 laws. And for non-travellers who are diagnosed positive, isolation is still mandatory.
He added, “Anyone caught breaching the isolation protocols will be subject to a host of sanctions and penalties, which we have deployed in the past and remain ready to deploy at any time, if required. These include fines and possible prosecution under our public health laws. It is also very useful to mention at this juncture that only state accredited medical facilities can manage COVID-19 cases.
“Please do not visit any of the allocated facilities unless and until you have been informed to do so. Travel Protocols for in-Bound Passengers Between 8th May 2021 and 1st of August 2021, a total of 72,232 International Passengers arrived in Lagos via Murtala Mohammed Airport. Of the 72,232 travellers, 18% could not be reached by EKOTELEMED, because they provided international phone numbers, instead of Nigerian contact numbers.
“We hereby implore all inbound passengers arriving in Lagos to endeavour to provide valid contact details to the authorities, so that they can be properly monitored. To manage the 3rd wave of the pandemic, EKOTELEMED will continue to focus on monitoring and tracking inbound travellers and cases in community. We will also not hesitate to impose sanctions and penalties on all those caught violating the rules.”
The Governor also disclosed that “As of today, the percentage of residents of Lagos that have received 2 doses of the vaccine stands at 1%. This is quite low, especially considering that we are now confronted by a third wave, and we are exploring all avenues possible to ramp up access to vaccination so as to reach our herd immunity target of administering vaccines to at least 60% of the population of Lagos State.
“Experience from other regions of the world shows that majority of the confirmed cases that have resulted in death were in unvaccinated persons. This is why we are seriously looking to scale up vaccination coverage for our people. On the 1st of August 2021, Nigeria received 4 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. It is our expectation that as the epicentre of the epidemic, Lagos State will receive a sizeable amount of this allocation. This vaccine cannot be mixed with the AstraZeneca vaccine, so it will only be for people that have not been previously vaccinated.
“We are still expecting the second allocation of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and will inform you when it is received. We will ensure that all future vaccine administration exercises are based solely on appointment, to avoid a situation in which vaccine administration turns into a super-spreader event.”
