COVID-19: 3rd Wave Imminent in Lagos — Sanwo-Olu

GOVERNOR Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, yesterday, disclosed that the state is experiencing a potential third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with dire consequences.

Sanwo-Olu, who said this while giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in the state and ongoing response as a government; noted that the country stands the risk of losing both lives and livelihood on a devastating scale.

The governor said: “From the end of March 2021, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos began to wind down, and we began to enjoy some reprieve from the worst effects of the virus. This enabled us to further open-up the economy to allow the start of the journey towards full normalcy in our lives and the pursuit of livelihoods, after what has been a very difficult year

“Regrettably, in spite of the hard work and dedicated efforts towards sustaining the return to normalcy, over the last three months, we are now finding ourselves at what appears to be the start of a potential 3rd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Lagos State.

“From the beginning of July, we started to experience a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1 per cent at the end of June 2021 to its current rate of 6.6 per cent as at July 8, 2021. The rapid increase within a week gives great cause for concern

“Also, within the last two weeks, the occupancy rate at our isolation centres increased from an average of 1 per cent to 6 per cent. This is the new and disturbing reality that now confronts us.

“But we must not be demoralised by this. We must instead resolve that we will not leave any stone unturned in our bid to effectively mitigate the third wave of this pandemic in Lagos. As you all know, Lagos has been the epicentre of the pandemic since the start, and the way we manage it here has a significant impact and reverberating effect on the national outlook and outcomes.

“It is only by testing and sequencing comprehensively that we can collect the data required for informed decision-making.”