The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has announced the suspension of schools’ resumption in the state.
Obaseki made the announcement during a press conference in Government House, Benin City on Friday.
The governor also reviewed the curfew earlier imposed in the state to now span from 10pm to 5am, to check the rising cases of COVID-19 in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said, “Comparing the first six weeks of the pandemic from March 23, 2020 with the first six weeks since December 1, 2020, Edo State has witnessed 84.5 percent rise in the number of infected persons.
“There has also been a 10.5 percent increase in the number of older persons infected with COVID-19. It is early days yet, but we have evidence suggesting that more older persons infected with COVID-19 are dying.
“Most of the cases in the early phase of the pandemic were travel-related but since December 2020, there has been a 13.9 percent increase in community transmission of the disease. This is a big concern, especially with the evidence before us that there has been a 15 percent increase in the number of persons infected with COVID-19 who show no signs or symptoms of the disease, but are transmitting it in our communities. Our children and youth are major contributors to this group.”
“Curfew is now reviewed from 10 pm to 5 am effective Saturday 16th January, 2021,” he added.
On schools’ resumption, Obaseki said schools are to remain shut till February 1, 2021, when the prevailing realities are to be reviewed to determine if it would be safe to reopen them.
He added that there must be strict compliance with ‘no facemask, no entry’ policy in hotels, lounges, bars, and restaurants, and no eat-ins in restaurants.
