COVID-19: Lagos has passed peak, says health commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said the state has passed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, said there was the need for vigilance, saying the scourge was not over.

Abayomi spoke on Wednesday during a talk show on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, themed, ‘Fighting COVID-19 in Lagos’.

He said, “Lagos might be a its peak in the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not over yet as we may see an escalation of positive cases. However, until we see a decline in the number of positive cases, we shouldn’t relent.

“We believe the lockdown was not effective because of the reality of a city where people go out to fend for themselves on a daily basis. If not, you will replace a health crisis with an economic crisis.

“Concerning the number of positive results seen this period, we have sample collection centres in every local government in Lagos, so the more we test the more cases we find. If there are no more positives, then the outbreak is slowing down.

“Our observation is that Lagos has passed the worst of the pandemic; it has passed the peak of the pandemic and is now on the flattening stage and over time, we will experience a down slope of the virus, then the end of COVID-19.”

Abayomi noted that the large young population of the state helped in reducing the fatalities in the state.

On August 24, the commissioner announced that he had also tested positive for the virus.