New cases of Covid-19 were reported in a Lagos State school on Friday, with at least 181 cases already confirmed by the state government.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this said 181 students and staff members of a private school located in Lekki area tested positive for COVID-19 during surveillance and case investigation.
In that same school, the total population of both the students and staff is 441, the Lagos State government said.
In his situation report on the investigations, Abayomi said that a 14-year-old SS1 female student took ill on October 3, and was sent home after receiving first aid at the school.
But he said the student, on Tuesday, October 6, tested positive for COVID-19 in one of the accredited private laboratories in Lagos.
Further more, the Director, Public Affairs at the state health ministry, Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, in a press statement said, the Commissioner assured Lagosians that the state government, through the incident command system, has the situation under control.
ALSO READ: Nigeria: FG agrees to pay ASUU N30 billion earned allowance
Ogunbanwo said appropriate steps have been taken to contain the spread and manage the positive cases.
He also informed that all parents have been contacted and counselled via a family zoom call on October 13, to further allay their fears, while communication between school authorities and parents continues.
He said the zoom call was attended by the commissioners for Health and Education and all relevant responders and stakeholders.
“There is a total lockdown and movement restriction in the school with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Pillar of the emergency operations centre and Ibeju-Lekki LGA State Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer reporting at the school daily to conduct further investigation while positive students and staff have been isolated on the premises and given the COVID-19 home-care treatment packs and are being monitored in isolation within the school premises,” Abayomi said.
The Commissioner stated that the school authorities, supported by the State Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, are following the COVID-19 guidelines as set out by the government.
The statement read: “Students are to be isolated in the school premises and if unwell, they will be admitted in one of the accredited isolation centres in Lagos.
“Students are discouraged from going home to avoid infecting members of their families”.
“The Ministry of Health is working closely with the Ministry of Education to jointly manage this minor but significant outbreak in this boarding school.
“I am pleased to announce that all the infected students are predominantly asymptomatic while some have very mild symptoms, no student has required hospitalization.
“Members of the Emergency Operation Center and our counterparts in the Ministry of Education have been deployed to the school to provide strategic interventions and support to the school.
“This includes psychosocial support, infection prevention control, medical monitoring and risk communication experts to further enlighten and educate affected people,” the statement
“COVID-19 is still very much with us and we must strive to prioritize the safety of all, including students and teachers, by adhering strictly to prevention protocols and guidelines issued by the government to prevent its spread.”
The Commissioner re-emphasised the need for citizens to practise the highest standard of personal and environmental hygiene, stressing the use of face mask in public places, proper hand washing and maintaining physical distance will help prevent the spread of the infection.
He urged Lagosians to call the 08000EKOMED or 08000356633 toll-free line if they notice any sign or symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue or loss of taste or smell.
