A Delta medical practitioner, Dr Cyril Chiedu, who is also the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Lily Hospital, Warri has advised Nigerians to wear facemasks and sanitise their hands regularly to contain the rampaging Coronavirus epidemic while maintaining that Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19 was not as deadly as Ebola.

Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Warri, Dr. Chiedu called for an improved awareness campaign and urged parents to educate their kids on when and how to use hands sanitiser to prevent the scourge.

The medical doctor said that Nigeria had become a red zone because a lot of Nigerians travelled to China for one reason and the other, ‘so we are highly susceptible to Coronavirus”.

Chiedu also said that hospitals were red zones for the epidemic hence the need for proper and adequate awareness among the staff and patients.

He, however, said that though the mortality rate was low when compared to Ebola adding that it attacks faster based on one’s level of immunity.

Chiedu, however, advised people to seek medical attention regularly particularly those with the associated symptoms like catarrh, cough and other related symptoms

He said:

“I’m worried for Nigerians and our wards in schools who are virtually exposed to these kinds of things.

“We must wear facemask no matter how odd it may look because the disease is airborne and do regular hand sanitising.

“There is no crime looking ugly and people are laughing at you, life is more important.

“Buy the children hand sanitiser. The education around the use of sanitiser should involve letting them know how and when to use the sanitiser.

“When they go to the toilet, shake hand with somebody or anytime there is contact with anything other than their own body, they should use sanitiser.

“Though the mortality rate is low we should take it seriously. A lot of people who have it are now cured. Some people have strong immune system while others do not have”.

Speaking on the precautionary measures at the Lily Hospital, Chiedu said that the hospital had an Infection Control Unit that spread across every section of the establishment.

According to him, the aim was to ensure that anybody that comes into the hospital is checked for temperature.

“The level of awareness and index of suspicion has to be in the hospital and I can confidently say we have a certain level of quality of awareness.

“What we have done in our effort to contain COVID-19 is that we have a unit called Infection Control Unit that spread across all the sections in the hospital.

“Once anybody comes to the hospital with a high fever, that person will be isolated immediately to ensure it is not Coronavirus. We also have hand sanitisers located in all the sections of the hospital.

“Beyond that, we have an emergency system that triggers when a person is found to have high temperature and such is not allowed to leave until the necessary check has been conducted.

“Even though the mortality rate is low compared to Ebola, every life is important to as a healthcare service provider. It does not select whom to attack,” he said.