Osagie who disclosed this at the press briefing of the presidential steering committee on COVID-19 on Monday August 1, called for state participation in sample collection, reporting, and treatment of cases. According to him, only 17 states made data or sample submissions in the last cycle.

The Minister said “All data indicate that we are now no doubt in the third wave of resurgence of the SARS-COV-2 infection, which we saw coming long ago. I wish to use the opportunity to again solicit more participation of our states in the roles they have to play, at this very trying time, in sample collection, preparing Isolation and treatment centers and providing logistics for movement of commodities and patients and reporting to the various COVID-19 pillars. Only 17 states made data or sample submissions in the last cycle, where Lagos and Akwa Ibom States were the epicenters. The federal ministry of health is engaging resident doctors who have embarked on industrial action with a view to quickly resolving the issues. While this is ongoing, medical directors at federal and state hospitals are directed to ensure that service delivery is not disrupted in their centres.”

Ehanire further stated that they are ready to receive cases in the face of the third wave threat, adding that there are available beds and oxygen supply at treatment centers.

The Minister who urged Nigerians to improve on the observance of precautionary measures and report any feeling of unwellness to the nearby COVID-19 centre, revealed thatmost of the deaths recorded were from people who didn’t get vaccinated.

He also announced that they are engaging resident doctors to call off the strike but will ensure treatment of patients is not disrupted by their absence.

The Minister who said this at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, also disclosed that similar deaths were recorded in eight states of the federation.

Osagie said “Nobody needs to give you permission to approach NAFDAC. Latest statistics from the National Health Management Information System indicates that out-patient visits dropped from four million to about two million and antenatal visits from 1.3 million to 655,000. Others include skilled birth attendance, from 158,374 to less than 99,000, while immunisation services reduced by about half. All these failings have yet undetermined consequences, which the easing of the lockdown should hopefully address. However, the suspected downside of easing restrictions has to be balanced off by citizens, with collective determination by all of us, not only to comply with protective and prophylactic advisories, but to encourage relatives, friends neighbours and customers to do same. Face masks should in fact become commonplace, and I look forward to seeing that cooks, stewards and food vendors, for example, wear masks or lose their customers. I wish to enjoin workplaces to institute such requirements and ensure that all workers are masked and knowledgeable about COVID-19, and by extension, share it with their families and relations”

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, he stated that the decision of whether or not to extend the lockdown has to be tailored according to the needs of Nigerians.

The Minister said “The President will make that announcement in his own time. We will give him the facts, he will consider the facts and make his own announcements using his own wisdom.  What happens is that every country, you balance the medical and the health-related benefits from the economic-related benefits because you have an economy you don’t want to kill and you also have the health side that you don’t want to destroy. It’s a very delicate balance which you need to do. All countries do that; it’s not only in our country. Even in the United States, they have that debate all the time. Do we open the economy now or do we not open it now?”

The Minister said a majority of the coronavirus cases in the country have a travel history while the rest had contacts with them.

Ehanire Osagie said “We have advised that some states should issue a call for retired doctors and nurses to be able to be reabsorbed and come back to service for this particular period if the need arises. They can be recalled back to active duty. They are in the reserved pool. As of this date, there are 36 cases of coronavirus in Nigeria. Of these cases 25 are in Lagos, six are at the Federal Capital Territory, two are in Ogun, one in Edo, one in Ekiti and one in Oyo State. 26 have had a travel history to countries with high burden in the last two weeks, six are contacts of the confirmed cases and for four of them, we have not been able to trace recent travel history or trace known confirmed contact. Unfortunately, we recorded the first death of COVID-19 infection in the country. This was a Nigerian who had underline illnesses and died due to complications on March 22, 2020, in Abuja. He had just returned from treatment in the United Kingdom. After successful treatment, two persons have been discharged. 32 are clinically stable with mild symptoms. One patient is dependent on oxygen.”

As of Tuesday March 24, the number of coronavirus cases in the country rose to 42. 2 of the patients have been discharged and only one death has been recorded.