Coronavirus cases in Lagos may rise to 120,000 - Health Commissioner

Lagos State health commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi on Friday said coronavirus cases in the state may rise to between 90,000 and 120,000 by July or August.

Abayomi made the claim at a press conference at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja while giving updates on coronavirus in the State.

Lagos State is currently the epicenter of coronavirus in Nigeria with 3,215 confirmed cases.

The state has discharged 405 patients after recovering from the disease and has recorded 33 deaths so far.

Abayomi attributed the increase in cases to the expansion of sample collection to the 20 local governments.

He said government’s response to the disease lessened the effect it could have had if not been proactive. Lagos would have recorded 6,000 cases rather than the 1,491 cases it has, Abayomi said.

He disclosed that Alimosho, Oshodi and Isolo have begun to record more COVID-19 cases.

He, however, noted that 97 percent of positive cases at its isolation centres were mild and moderate cases.

Only three percent were severe cases, according to him.

He said 80 people at the State House, Marina, including the governor and his family were tested and only 10 people were found to be positive.

He said the 10 positive staff of the State House, Marina, have been taken to isolation centres.

The commissioner said COVID-19 mortality rate has been mainly among males with pre-existing ailments such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension.