Barth Ndubuwah,Port Harcourt
A medical expert and Dean Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences,Rivers State University (RSU),Prof Kenneth Ordu has stated it loud and clear that it is folly and rather unfortunate for anybody to doubt the existence of coronavirus, commonly referred to as COVID-19, stressing that the pandemic is real and cases are increasing by the day.
Prof Ordu made the assertion in an exclusive interview with Nigerian NewsDirect in Port Harcourt,the Rivers State capital.
According to the Dean,the low number of infected cases or deaths is because we are not testing enough as compared to the western world. This,he said does not in anyway mean that the disease is not in existence in our society.
“There is actually COVID-19 and the incident is increasing. We are confused or deceived by the number of cases or deaths reported. The number of cases and deaths are not important. They should not be compared with the western world that are meticulously testing their people and coming out with concise reports,”Prof Ordu said.
“In the contrary, people are afraid to test for COVID-19 pandemic here in Nigeria,so why won’t they speculate or doubt the existence of the pandemic. It is often said that when something has not reached you,there is every tendency for you to doubt it,but if it affects you or your relation,you will understand it better,”the Dean emphasized.
The Academic who said the elderly and those down with low immunity due to illness are prone to die from COVID-19 if infected, regretted that doctors are highly exposed to the pandemic.
He therefore advised the people to take COVID-19 seriously by observing the basic medical protocols.