End SARS: Anambra Health Commissioner warns over resurgence of COVID-19

The Commissioner for Health in Anambra State, Dr Vincent Okpala, has warned indigenes of the state and Nigerians, in general, to be very careful as there is a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Okpala said the fear became stronger as more people are now showing signs of the disease, even as some patients have been found in schools, immediately after the EndSARS protest, which he said exacerbated the spread of the disease.

The commissioner, who spoke during an event put together to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of a group, I-Witness Crew; a citizen journalism platform, insisted that the coronavirus found a means to spread further, through the just concluded EndSARS protest.

He said, “The EndSARS protest was just a virus propagating and sustaining event. We must be very careful how we live. We must go back to all the COVID-19 protocols of social distancing, wearing of facemasks and washing our hands regularly.

“In US, we thought they were getting their hands on the matter already, when the George Floyd murder happened, triggering the #BlackLivesMatter protest. Now, In Nigeria, we already thought we were getting better when the #EndSARS protest also began.

“The protest was one which has helped the virus to spread further, and states have started recording high number again. We (Anambra) have remained relatively low, but states have already started going high again. This virus seems to have found a way of spreading, above all odds,” Okpala said.

He, however, thanked Chidiebele Obika the convener of I-Witness Crew for using the citizens journalism platform to correct a lot of fake information being put out in public spaces during the thick of the coronavirus lockdown.