Abia State Government has declared Aba, the commercial hub of the state, a red zone, following the rise in the number of patients that have so far tested positive to Coronavirus.
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Abia recorded fresh15 positive cases on Sunday, June 14, 2020, making it 112 positive cases recorded in the state so far.
John Okiyi-Kalu, the State’s Commissioner for Information stated this on Monday while answering questions on the current situation of COVID-19 in the state.
The Commissioner decried the attitude of Aba residents, who according to him have vehemently refused to obey Government protocols on Covid-19, like wearing of face masks and social distancing, thereby throwing the city into danger.
He placed the blame on churches and mosques for not adhering to simple directives given by the government on how to stop the spread of the virus within their places of worship, by properly advising worshippers the proper things to do to stay safe
To ensure compliance with Covid-19 protocols, Okiyi-Kalu stated that the state Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 has directed the Chairman of Aba South Local Government to specifically enforce regulations at the mosque in Aba, especially the Central mosque on Mosque Road, during Friday prayers
He explained that reports coming from the Aba Central Mosque, at Hospital road, is very dangerous and worrisome for everyone.
The Commissioner also said that the statistics available shows that many health workers in Aba may have been infected with coronavirus as a result of unknowingly attending to people infected with the virus without full protection.
“We’ve wrapped up a lot of samples collected for testing. At the moment, Abia is having more samples than any other state in the South East which is good, because unless we identify where this problem is coming from, we may not be able to deal with it.
“We’ve done our mapping by local government and one thing is clear to us; a majority of the new cases are coming from the Aba area and it is alarming.
“It looks like all the sensitization, all the efforts made by the media have not worked, because Aba people continue to violate the regulations, as regards to face masks wearing, social distancing and avoiding gatherings.
“Even the churches are part of the problem we are facing now. It looks like Aba is a red location for Covid-19 infection and all hands should be on deck now to flatten the curve.
“Everyone must take measures to protect himself, while the Government works out new measures that it has put in place to at least slow down the spread of this virus in the state.
“What we’ve discovered is that some people have continued to violate the protocol, especially the mosque at Hospital road, by Mosque Street. That particular Mosque is a dangerous zone, right now,” he stated.
Okiyi-Kalu while responding to questions on a monitored radio programme, said: “We’ will soon roll out the plan of the Government to ensure compliance there. It’s sad that people are endangering themselves and as well endangering others whereas we can all work together to stop the spread of this virus.
“The situation in Aba is alarming. There are other facts that we don’t want to roll out now that are even scarier.
“The rate of infection of medical workers in Aba is high, which means that a lot of COVID-19 patients are presenting themselves to hospitals and our medics are not attending to them with full protection,” he stated.
