COVID-19: Uduaghan, Ex-Delta Governor Counsels As Okowa’s Daughter Contracts Disease

By Hamilton Nwosa(Head, The New Diplomat’s Business and data tracking desk)

Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, the immediate past governor of Delta State, has counseled citizens, and the people of Delta state in particular to avail themselves of the various health options open to them by ensuring that they do more for themselves while underlying the fact that the various arms of government are doing everything possible to contain the dreaded Coronavirus popularly known as COVID-19.

The former governor dropped the counsel on Friday following reports that reports that his successor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state and his wife, Mrs Edith Okowa have proceeded on self isolation consequent upon one of their daughters testing positive for COVID-19.

Uduaghan said: “From the stage of denial, we have gradually moved into the stage of asking this question: how careful can we be? It is now obvious that COVID-19 is right here with us. More worrisome is that, people whom we believe are quite careful are contacting it.”

While counseling the people to “observe the basic precautions that you have been reading and hearing of over and over,” Uduaghan, a medical doctor by profession said, “being careful has no limits.” He added: “Regular hand-washing and/or use of sanitizer, use of face masks, physical/social distancing, elbow coverage of face while coughing or sneezing etc, avoiding crowded places, boosting your immunity with Vitamins C & D and Zinc tablets… are just the minimum”.

It would be recalled that recalled that Nigeria’s COVID-19 statistical cases soared to 22,614 on Thursday with 594 new case data reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Curiously, the statistical data of COVID-19 cases relating to Delta state shown an upward swing in recent times with latest infections rising up by 106 progressively.

Interestingly, Delta state was previously ranked 9th on the overall case data index with 609 cases, before Thursday’s latest data. Given this latest statistical cases, it has overtaken Kaduna state which used to be higher. In Delta, the Secretary to State Government(SSG) and Commissioner for Information were among high profile cases reportedly recorded as contracting the virus within the past few days.

Delta state now reportedly ranks 8th position trailing behind Southwest’s Ogun state that accounted for a marginal 12 statistical cases yesterday(Thursday). However, Lagos state still maintains the lead in number of statistical cases with 159, while Ondo state similarly in the SouthWest comes next graphically to Delta state with 44 cases.

Apparently disturbed by this development, Uduaghan advised citizens to be more vigilant, careful, and for themselves on a sustained basis. He maintained: “Do we really know the complete mode of transmission? Is it not possible that the mode of transmission is more than what the scientists are currently telling us. No doubt it is a new illness, so we may not know everything about it. How careful can we be? These questions have no concrete answers.” He also canvassed adherence to good exercise, healthy diet,regular hand-washing, cleaning of surfaces sustainably with water, soap, bleach, dettol, spirits or savlon, among others.

He said: “Monitoring of domestic staff also very important; drivers, stewards, cooks, orderlies, security staff and PAs who have to go in and out of our homes or offices are becoming sources of infection.”

“Minimize social visits and social gatherings. Our outing should be more for economic activities. Let’s try and do more for ourselves, while the various arms of Government are doing their best. May God heal those who currently have the disease IJN”, Uduaghan added.