21 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Anambra state.
The development is coming a few days after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) activated the state’s COVID-19 test centre at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka.
Anambra had initially remained the least hit by the virus in the Southeast region with about 71 confirmed cases and only 9 deaths.
The State Governor, Willie Obiano had last month, warned that the number of cases may possibly rise in the state with the increased testing which the state intends to launch soon.
Briefing newsmen in Awka today, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala, revealed that the state has ramped up sample collection and testing since NCDC activated the test centre at COOUTH, Amaku-Awka, hence the new cases.
According to him, early testing and treatment for COVID-19 remain the only way to ensure that cases recover quickly.
Okpala encouraged anyone with signs and symptoms of the virus to report for testing at the centre or call the state’s public health emergency operations centre Hotlines for immediate attention.
“Testing and treatment for COVID-19 is free. There is also no need to be ashamed or scared. The disease is not a death sentence. The priority of the state government is to save lives. The government has made adequate provisions at our protective care centres for the treatment and recovery of patients. To the glory of God, we have successfully treated and discharged many patients but this is the time for Ndi Anambra to take responsibility. We need to be available for sample collection and testing and ensure that we protect ourselves and others around us by observing all health and hygiene protocols,” he stated.
It will be recalled that the state government has since constituted COVID-19 task forces in all the markets, the 21 LGAs and in all the 326 wards in the state, as well as trained and commissioned 42 sample collectors, two for each LGA, to intensify the fight against Covid-19 and curb community spread.
