The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has stated that a second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is still possible in Nigeria depsite the reduction in cases recorded in recent weeks.
This was disclosed by the director-general of NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu at a media briefing organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Ihekweazu said disobeying the safety guidelines could lead to a spike in cases.
Recall that the federal government eased restrictions that were in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus after months of lockdown.
Civil servants also returned to work while schools were reopened about two months after domestic flights.
Meanwhile, data from the NCDC show Nigeria has averaged about 150 cases in the last months in contrast to the 500 and above being recorded before reopening.
But Ihekweazu said the fight against COVID-19 is far from over.
“We have slowly reopened our economy … and we did not see a spike in infections,” he said.
We have opened schools, we reopened airports, all of these have been done since. The next big challenge is the reopening of our NYSC camps.
“We are encouraged that with the type of collaboration we have achieved with NYSC, we will also be able to achieve these this over the next few weeks.”
He added that the NCDC has put in place measures to ensure the virus does not spread as the NYSC camps reopen, including compulsory tests and wearing of face masks for corps members and enforcing social distancing.
