NATIONAL: We are reaching a critical stage on Covid-19 — NCDC warns

* ‘Hospitals won’t be able to handle serious cases soon’

THE Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has said the country is reaching a critical stage in its fight against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.

He noted that, with recent development, hospitals across the Federation would soon be overwhelmed as the spike in infections has become alarming.

In a series of tweets on Monday, Dr. Ihekweazu attributed his apprehension to the wilful disregard shown by Nigerians who throng National Identity Management Commission offices across the country on a daily basis to obtain their National Identification Numbers, NIN.

“We are reaching a critical level where our hospital capacity will no longer be able to cope with more serious COVID-19 cases and health workers will be forced to make tough decisions. We need to protect our more vulnerable citizens, tweeted the NCDC boss.

“We all have to take responsibility. This is not for the NCDC, the PTF or government alone. By organising large gatherings indoors, you’re not only putting yourself and guests at risk, but also the staff who have limited choice but to serve. By going to clubs, you’re putting your parents at risk,” he tweeted.

“In the last four weeks, we‘ve recorded a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases. The virus is spreading fast, causing mild symptoms in some and severe illness/death in others.”

Dr. Ihekweazu warned Nigerians, particularly naysayers who keep dismissing  figures of those hit by Covid-19 released daily by the NCDC as untrue, to note that the 100,000 persons that contracted COVID-19 in the last 11 months were not just figures but persons.

“Most important of all, the 100,000 cases and over 1,000 deaths are not just numbers. These are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, friends whose deaths will be mourned and the pain of their loss deeply felt. The response starts and ends with the people of this country,” he said.