Abia residents express worry over 5 fresh cases of COVID-19

Residents of Abia state have expressed concern over the five new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state in spite government’s measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu announced a confirmation of the new cases of the virus on Monday after one of the two initial index cases was successfully treated and discharged.

Reacting to the unhealthy development in an interview in Umuahia, the residents said that the emergence of fresh cases portend danger for the state.

Dr. Felix Onu, the president of the Associaiton of Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, said that he was not surprised over the development, considering the laxity in the enforcement of the government’s guidelines on prevention against the pandemic.

Onu said that the fresh cases showed that community transmission had been going on in the state.

He said that all the contacts with one of the index cases tested negative for the virus.

“All the people at the hospital that had contact with an index case that was handled and later discharged went into isolation and later came out negative.

“The implication is that community transmission has been ongoing, since the index cases did not have any travel history,” he said.

He further said that people from other states were still finding their way into Abia state, in spite of the border closure and restriction of inter-state travels.

“Our borders are not effectively manned. There is the infiltration of people, even from the virus endemic states into Abia, hence the fresh cases,” Onu said.

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He blamed the porousity of the state’s borders, leading to the alleged entry of people from other states, on sharp practices at the borders and also alleged that many residents were abusing the ease of lockdown by the state government.

According to him, many residents are skeptical about the reality of the virus in the state.

Also, Chief Obinna Ibe, the chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Abia state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), blamed the new cases on the failure by residents to strictly obey the rules and regulations issued by government and health authorities.

Ibe also said that many residents abused the opportunity provided by the ease of lockdown by disregarding the recommended guidelines, especially social distancing.

He urged the inter-ministerial task force on COVID-19 to up its game and ensure that residents comply with the guidelines.

State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chief Uchenna Obigwe, also expressed disappointment over the fresh COVID-19 cases.

He said that the development calls for strict enforcement of the guidelines by government and health authorities.