Fake COVID-19 certificates on sale in Lagos, says commissioner

Lagos State Government has alerted to the sale of fake COVID-19 certificates in the state by some dubious characters.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos, warning that his ministry was working with law enforcement agents to track and arrest the illegal sellers.

He also said the number of positive cases for the virus was rising in the state as more people returned from overseas countries for the Christmas and new year festivities.

The Federal Government had earlier said it would not welcome travellers coming into the country without producing certificates that they were COVID-19-free.

Also, those travelling out of the country as well as some transactions require people to present the certificate.

Abayomi said, “It has come to our attention that a number of people are patronising individuals that sell fake COVID-19 results.

“We are currently putting in processes to identify both buyers and sellers and we will not hesitate to prosecute them to the full extent of the law.”

The commissioner also said some Lagos residents who had tested positive were observed to be giving fake contacts and phone numbers at the isolation facilities, making contact tracing difficult.

He said, “Positivity for inbound travellers is on the rise as Nigerians in the Diaspora return to spend Christmas in Lagos.”

”On December 26, the state confirmed 253 new COVID-19 infections, increasing the total confirmed cases of infections in the state to 28,774,” Abayomi said.

He added that 75 confirmed cases were currently being managed at the isolation centres while 3,716 active cases under home-based care were under the state’s Eko Telemed.

Abayomi said that one fatality was recorded on the reported day, adding that as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, residents would need to make lifestyle adjustments to live with the pandemic.

“Living with the pandemic means that you should wear your face mask everywhere, follow physical distancing rules, avoid social gatherings, ensure regular hand washing or hand sanitising.

“If you feel unwell, get tested; if positive, self-isolate or present to any isolation centre or follow up clinics,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner also said the state government would soon inaugurate 10 Oxygen and Sampling centres to improve management of severe-to-critical COVID-19 cases.

Abayomi said that the state would deploy oxygen therapy centres in high burden local government areas to manage severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients.

According to him, the centres are sited at the Mother and Child Centre, Eti-Osa; General Hospital Alimosho; General Hospital Isolo; Aguda Primary Healthcare Centre, Surulere; and General Hospital Gbagada.

Others are the Mother and Child Centre, Ifako Ijaiye; Ibeju-Lekki Primary Healthcare Centre; General Hospital Apapa; Odi Olowu Primary Healthcare Centre, Mushin; and Amuwo-Odofin Mother and Child Centre.

Abayomi said that the oxygen centres at Mother and Child Centre, Eti-Osa; General Hospital Alimosho and General Hospital Isolo were already completed, while the remaining seven centres would be completed in the next two weeks.

He said medical oxygen had been the primary treatment for the majority of patients who were suffering from severe COVID-19 symptoms.

”Many of these patients present late to the isolation centres, thus leading to fatalities. This life-saving gas helps patients breathe when they cannot do so on their own, and timely access to oxygen is critical to ensure the patient’s survival.

“If anyone is breathless, go to any of these centres, and the doctors and nurses there will assist to stabilise you with oxygen before moving you with the ambulance to the isolation centre,” he said.