Delta State on Sunday, recorded 84 new cases of the novel coronavirus with total cases now 912.
It recorded 47 new cases on Saturday night.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had, on its Twitter handle on Sunday night, disclosed that 492 new cases were recorded on Sunday.
Delta is racing closely behind Lagos State that got 118 new cases.
According to the NCDC, the total number of infections in the country now stands at 24,567.
“490 new cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria; Lagos-118, Delta-84, Ebonyi-68, FCT-56, Plateau-39, Edo-29, Katsina-21, Imo-13, Ondo-12, Adamawa-11, Osun-8, Ogun-8, Rivers-6, Kano-5, Enugu-3, Bauchi-3, Akwa Ibom-3, Kogi-1, Oyo-1, Bayelsa-1,” NCDC said.
Tribune Online had reported that Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and his family are in self-isolation after his daughter tested positive for COVID-19 last week Thursday.
About a week earlier, two of his close aides, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Commissioner for Information, Mr Chiedu Ibie and Mr Charles Aniagwu, tested positive and are currently undergoing treatment at an isolation centre.
In a statement he issued on Saturday, Okowa decried the nonchalant attitude of Deltans towards obeying simple protecting measures outlined by the government against the virus.
He warned doubting Thomases of COVID-19 to beware, saying: “it cannot be a hoax when over 20 persons had died including some prominent citizens.
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I want to make a passionate appeal to all Deltans to please realise that the coronavirus disease is real.’’
He lamented that the isolation centres were already being overwhelmed, urging residents to take responsibility for their lives.
“The state government allowed normal business activities to go on in essential sectors of the economy to enable citizens to take care of their families; it does not in any way suggest that the danger is over.
“We made this decision with all sense of responsibility while counting on your partnership with the Government to defeat this virus. Regrettably, it does appear our people have not taken this matter as seriously as they should.
“Our isolation centres are currently overwhelmed with the number of cases and unless we proactively and collectively take drastic actions to reverse the trend, we stand the risk of becoming another epicentre for the pandemic.
“In the absence of a specific curative drug, the only way to check the transmission of the virus is for all of us to adhere strictly to the NCDC-issued guidelines and safety protocols,” he admonished.
He urged residents in the most affected local government areas namely: Oshimili South, Warri South, Uvwie, Oshimili North, Ughelli North, Ethiope West, and Sapele, to be on red alert.
“Let me emphasise once again that the coronavirus disease is real, and anybody can contact it. It is neither a rich man’s nor a poor man’s disease. Anybody can be affected.
“I call on every resident in the State to act responsibly to protect yourself and others and do not forget to continue praying for God’s merciful intervention to stop this raging pandemic,” Okowa prayed.
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