Yemisi Izuora
P+ Measurement Services, a media intelligence and Public relations audit agency has carried out trend analysis on the impact of COVID-19 in Nigeria for the period in view.
With the exponential increase in recorded cases over the week since the lockdown has been relaxed in some states in the country, an integrated analysis was carried out to give a comparison between the last week of April 2020 and the first week of May 2020.
It was recorded that in the six geopolitical zones of the nation, Nigeria recorded 1795 total new cases, 308 discharged cases and sadly 55 number of deaths, in April 2020. By the end of the first week in May 2020, 3278 total number of cases were recorded, 745 discharged and 128 deaths.
Taking a look at the analysis of the new week (4th – 10th May 2020), it was recorded that there was an 18% increase in total new cases, 31% increase in discharged and a 9% increase in death. Where a spike was noticed on the third day when the lockdown was relaxed on the 4th May 2020 across the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It was also recorded that Northern states had a high percentage share of the virus since the lockdown was relaxed.
The Eastern states have recorded low cases of the COVID-19 while the South-Western has had an exponential increase in cases of the virus ever since the relaxation of the lockdown especially in Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun State.
In the new week under review, it was recorded that there was 1842 total number of cases, 305 number of discharged and 56 number of death recorded.
The sharp increase in the number of cases in Nigeria has been attributed to the flouting of the social distancing guidelines of the Federal government by a majority of Nigerians after the over 4 weeks lockdown order of the government was put to rest on May 4, 2020.
Already, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has warned that the crowded scenes witnessed in major parts of the country, could force the federal government to return to the days of total lockdown in order to protect more persons contracting the virus. In the same vein, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu has threatened to impose a total lockdown on the state if people continue to violate the safety guidelines issued to contain the spread of the virus in the state.
He had said, “If we do not see an improvement in the next couple of days, we would be forced to evoke the very painful decision of bringing the entire system under a lockdown again.
“I’m aware that the Presidential Task Force has also made this point and very importantly that the continued maintenance of this ease is only guaranteed when people consistently comply. Let the numbers we have seen this week stand as a warning to all of us because we are monitoring and checking this on a daily basis
“We all must take responsibility, which is what this time demands of us. The government will not shy away from its own responsibilities.”