Osun state government has confirmed the outbreak of the United Kingdom variant of the coronavirus disease, warning residents of the deadly nature of the variant.
A statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode disclosed that it is worrisome that barely a few weeks after the discovery of the variant in the country, it is already in the state.
It, therefore, warned citizens on the need to be responsible and adhere strictly to preventive protocols in the state to curtail the spread of the deadly variant and avoid tragic incidents in the state.
“The government of the Osun state regrets to announce that the State has in the past few days recorded five cases of the violent and deadly B117 strain of COVID-19, which was first reported in the United Kingdom.
“This is particularly worrisome because it is barely a week that the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 announced the discovery of the strain in Nigeria, and Osun already has five cases.
“Considering the continued disregard and defiance for safety protocols in the state, the government is extremely concerned about the days ahead.
“This new strain spreads faster and kills quicker. If it continues to grow, more citizens will become vulnerable and those with underlying ailments more endangered.
“We cannot continue to act like Covid-19 is not real. It is not just a sad reality but one that has changed the momentum with this more deadly strain.
“Citizens are enjoined to scale up their personal responsibility for safety by complying with all the non-pharmaceutical protocols outlined by the government, to avoid tragic consequences,” it reads.