By SUNDAY JOHN

Dr Emmanuel Akabe, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, says some staff of the Infectious Diseases Diagnostic and Research Development Centre, Lafia, had contracted the COVID-19 pandemic.

Akabe, also the Chairman of the Nasarawa COVID-19 taskforce, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after meeting with the management of the centre on Tuesday in Lafia.

“Unfortunately, even a staff working at the centre’s laboratory and two others got infected with the virus two weeks ago,” he said.

The taskforce chairman said that from statistics available to the government, even younger people are now vulnerable to the virus as it was more aggressive than before.

He expressed worry that the state recorded 300 positive cases of COVID-19 on Monday which was the highest since the pandemic was reported in the country.

He said that the government would step up awareness and enforcement of preventive measures to curtail further spread of the virus.

He advised healthcare workers to be cautious and put on their Personal Preventive Equipment (PPE) at all times, to protect themselves from being infected while treating patients in their facilities.

He also urged the public to always wear their face masks, maintain social distancing, and wash hands regularly to curtail the spread of the virus.

Akabe further said that the meeting with the management of the centre stemmed from the increasing positive cases of COVID-19 in the state, with the view to step up awareness and enforcement of preventive protocols.

He said that the government would meet with all critical stakeholders on Wednesday to review the situation with the view of taking measures in compliance with the recent directives by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19. (NAN)