Nigerian youths are the big carriers of COVID-19 but the old are dying more- statistics

 

COVID-19 statistics show that youths are the big carriers of the virus in Nigeria, but the elderly are the ones being killed by it.

Abiodun Kolawole, a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) is perhaps one of the rarest residents of Abeokuta, Ogun State who is yet to be gripped by the fear of the novel COVID-19 up to date. He would need more than the constant, untethered the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria as released by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC to believe the realness of the killer virus let alone admit Nigeria has transited into the second wave may soon hit.

“I have not seen anyone who had that virus around me nor has anyone died of it – God forbid! – except the ones the government tells us.”

In contribution to that doubt, his friend, Damilare Obatola, both seated inside a POS outlet (for money transaction) at Computer Village of Oke Elewo, the commercial nerve of Ogun State capital, made a more befuddling comment.

‘You may want to talk about the death of Kashamu… I don’t believe he died of covid. I have seen him before and I know the disease wouldn’t have killed him’, he said.

Contrary to Damilare’s perception, former Senator Buruji Kashamu representing Ogun-East senatorial district, died on August 8 of COVID-19 complications at the First Cardiology Hospital in Lagos.

His death was announced by his former colleague in the Senate Ben Murray-Bruce.

Already, 33 people had died of the virus in Ogun state as at the dusk of December 6, what the state’s Director of Public Health and Incident Manager, Dr. Festus Soyinka, described as ‘mild effects of the virus in Ogun state.’

to this figure, a total of 35 people tested positive to Coronavirus across the state by the close of business on December 6 that these young Nigerians doubted the existence of the virus. The 35 people are the cumulative cases out of the  2,258 confirmed cases by the end of the 49th week.

At the end of week 50 between December 7 and December 12, this newspaper found out that the cases in Ogun State had risen to 2328.

The NCDC corroborated in its week 50 spreadsheet report for the COVID-19 cases that Nigeria has experienced a significant increase up to 47 per cent in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to week 49. Nigeria had a total of 61,992 at the end of week 49 but skyrocketed to 66,090 at the end of week 50.

As if this never mattered to the residents, no single person at the computer village had face masks worn. Yet, all was, in fact, raucous, and bubbling up till Lafenwa market some few kilometres ahead with no attention to public health measures.

 

 Between half-knowledge and ignorance

 

The manager of the small-scale business, Adewale Kolajo, cautioned that his boys’ disbelief should not be blamed on ignorance. According to him, their doubt found its strength in distrust in the  Nigerian government over the ill-management of the virus from inception.

‘I am educated and I have read about the workings of this virus. So, I know it is real’, he would stress.

As convincing as his response was at the first presentation, the impression he later gave drew a line between the extent of his knowledge about the pandemic and unchecked myth.

‘However, the only reason the countries here are not recording massive numbers is because of our relatively hot temperature. Even before or without treatment, coronavirus will not survive above 30’, he said confidently.

That belief is one of the fast-travelling rumours which the World Health Organization, WHO had demystified.

Often said that ‘coronavirus is not heat-resistant and will be killed in a temperature of 26-27 degrees’, WHO established that evidence has so far shown that COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in all areas, including areas with hot and humid weather.