Coronavirus: Lagos govt may stop Friday, Sunday religious services

The Lagos state government on Wednesday said it may advise religious leaders in the state to stop Friday and Sunday services as part of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

It said the recent development on COVID-19 in Nigeria calls for social distancing and proper hand-washing.

The Commissioner for Information in Lagos, Gbenga Omotosho, said a meeting was being held with religious leaders on how to handle the present situation, where it might be suggested that they stop Friday and Sunday services.

He said in the interest of the public, all stakeholders must comply with the outcome of the meeting.

Mr Omotosho spoke at the state secretariat while addressing the press on the recent increase in the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, also spoke at the press conference.

“This is the time citizens need to practise proper hand-washing and social distancing to avert the spread of the virus,” he said.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire on Wednesday said the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country has increased to eight, with five newly recorded cases who had a travel history to the U.K and U.S.

Mr Abayomi said seven of the eight confirmed cases were tested positive in Lagos facility and while six of them are on admission, the second case, who has fully recovered has been discharged.

The Commissioner added that some people from high-risk countries were tested, after showing symptoms of the infection. He said one of them is an India national who travelled to Nigeria through Cairo, Egypt airline and developed a fever but tested negative. He said the person is still being monitored for other respiratory symptoms.

Another sample belonged a traveller from Houston, Texas, based in Lagos, who flew into Nigeria on March 13 and developed a fever but also tested negative, he said.

“Yesterday, we received four samples that tested positive. The first two samples belonged to a Nigerian mother and her six weeks child who tested positive and are on admission. They had been in the United States and returned on the 8th of March through Virgin Atlantic flight, VS 411,” Mr Abayomi said.

He added that the third positive sample belonged to an American citizen who crossed into Nigeria on March 13 through the Nigeria-Benin land border and tested positive, while the fourth belonged to a Nigerian who returned through Virgin Atlantic airline.

The commissioner said the state government is in control of the situation and has recommended social distancing and proper hand-washing for the citizenry.

The federal government on Wednesday also announced a travel restriction on 13 high-risk countries, which will take effect on March 21.