COVID third wave: Death toll rises to 26 in Edo

Ebomwonyi Osagie, head of the COVID-19 case management team in Edo, says four more persons have died of coronavirus complications in the state.

Osagie disclosed this on Tuesday during a media briefing at the government house in Benin city, the state capital.

With the new fatality count, the death toll since the beginning of the third wave of the pandemic in the state has now risen to 26.

Osagie said in the last 24 hours, 14 new infections and three new recoveries have been confirmed, with 592 active cases currently at various treatment and isolation centres across the state.

“Over the weekend, we collected a total of 1,273 samples and confirmed 148 cases, four recoveries, and four deaths. From the weekend till date, we have had a total of eight deaths,” he said.

He said three out of the four persons who died were unvaccinated, while the other person had received one dose of the COVID vaccine.

“When you have partial vaccination, it covers you for a period of time pending when the coverage expires. To be protected, one needs to be fully vaccinated by ensuring one takes the two doses of the vaccines,” Osagie said.

“You must complete the vaccination; you can’t take one dose and say it is enough, but need to complete the dose which protects you from the virus. We should ensure that we get fully vaccinated as the risk is getting high.”

On his part, Osawonyi Irowa, permanent secretary, Edo ministry of health, advised residents to take both doses of the vaccine.

“Many persons carrying the virus are not down with sickness and don’t have symptoms, but yet transmit the virus to people. Some people who are COVID-19 positive are not sick, but those that are sick are those that are working hard and battling to keep alive,” he said.

Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, had announced on August 23, that the state will soon restrict unvaccinated persons from public gatherings.

Obaseki had said the directive will take effect from the second week of September.

But a federal high court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, has granted an order restraining Obaseki and the Edo government from restricting unvaccinated persons from attending mass gatherings.