Akwa Ibom has recorded 156 COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks, the state government said on Thursday.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, disclosed this at a media briefing on Thursday in Uyo.
Ekuwem, who is also the Chairman of Akwa Ibom COVID-19 Committee, said the state also recorded three fatalities during the period.
He said while the COVID-19 pandemic had ravaged the world since 2019, the first case Akwa Ibom recorded its first case on April 1, 2020.
The SSG said: “Since then, His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel had put in place proactive measures to curb the spread of the virus. Over the past two weeks, cases of COVID-19 within the state had risen from five to 156.
“This increase, when considered in the light of the new Delta variant of the virus, which has now been isolated in Nigeria, calls for a renewal of our collective effort at preventing the spread of COVID-19 virus infection in our state.”
He urged residents of the state to obey all COVID-19 protocols.
According to Ekuwem, all COVID-19 monitoring mechanisms have been reactivated to ensure strict compliance with guidelines and protocols in the state.
He added: “The state government also advised citizens to ensure that social distancing in tricycles and in mini-buses and wearing of face masks are to be strictly complied with.
“Religious houses (churches and mosques) should run at half capacity and services should last not more than one hour.
“Hotels, sit-outs, clubs, schools, transport companies, Supermarkets, Banks, Pharmacies should all ensure compliance with all COVID-19 preventive measures in their facilities.
“Report any suspicious symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, and body pains and weakness to the nearest COVID-19 facility or use the following help lines 08000275664, 08189411111.”
