COVID-19: Lagos discharges 9 more patients: 3 females, 6 males

Lagos State government on Tuesday said it is set to discharge nine more coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, comprising three females and six males, who have tested negative in two consecutive test readings, saying they were now free to be reunited with their families, bringing the total number of discharged cases to 70.

Besides, the state government announced that it planned to boost the capacity of its isolation centres to enable them take up more patients, noting that their present overall capacity could only admit 275 patients in all isolation centres located at Yaba, Onikan and LUTH.

The state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced this development while addressing newsmen at the State House, Marina, even as he rolled out new measures to cushion the effect of fresh 14- day lockdown imposed on the state to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic ravaging the global community.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had in his nationwide broadcast on Monday night directed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states be lockdown for another 14 days to ensure that the pandemic is still put under check.

“In fact, today, we are discharging nine patients– three females and six males, who have tested negative in two consecutive test readings. They are now free to be reunited with their families. This will now bring the total number of discharged cases to 70.

“Besides, we are boosting the capacity of our isolation centres to take up more patients. Overall, across all our isolation centres in Yaba, Onikan and LUTH, we have the capacity to admit 275 patients.

“By next week, when we open the isolation centres at Landmark and Gbagada General Hospital. We will have the capacity for an additional 220 beds, including 20 intensive care units,” the governor said.

Speaking on the fresh measures to cushion the effect of lockdown on Lagosians, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the state government was set to feed a total of 100,000 youths every day, while also promising to ensure that 250,000 underprivileged persons will receive condition cash transfer as a way of cushioning the effect of fresh 14-day lockdown imposed on the state to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the global community.

Other measures announced by the governor Sanwo-Olu are that Interest moratorium for all those who had taken loan from Lagos State schemes would be suspended for a period if three months, while all vehicles arrested for minor offences from March 1, 2020 to March 14, 2020 would be returned to their various owners.

According to him, the directive to release those vehicles by LASTMA, among others takes effect following the end of the lockdown.

“Fellow Lagosians, I am pleased today, to announce additional palliatives for our citizens to further ameliorate the inconvenience occasioned by this extended lockdown.

“In the first instance, we will be rolling out the following measures:

“In the next couple of days, we will commence a daily “Food Kitchen” programme which will see us aim to feed about 100,000 people daily.

“This will largely target the youths.  We are identifying local food vendors who will pilot this program and ensure that the process of cooking and serving of the meals adhere strictly to public health guidelines.

“We are also cleaning up our data from our various social registers to get a clean list of truly vulnerable and economically challenged persons to enable us remit some cash to them. We aim to do these cash transfers by the end of the week to a minimum of 250,000 indigent citizens.

“Thirdly, I have just issued an order to the Police; LASTMA and the VIO to release all impounded vehicles arrested for minor traffic offences from the 1st of March 2020 to date. This directive takes effect following the end of the lockdown.

“I am also pleased to announce that all the MSMEs and SMEs who have taken LSETF loans and other government program loans will enjoy a three months moratorium.  This will further help to cushion the effect of the lack of economic activities occasioned by the lockdown,” the governor said.

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