Delta begins second phase of COVID-19 vaccination

Edo records 16 deaths as casualties hit 50

The Delta State Government has commenced the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination exercise, according to the Director of Information, Theresa Adiabua Oliko.

Oliko stated this, yesterday, in a special announcement in Asaba, saying: “Those who received their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine should go with their vaccination cards to be vaccinated with the second dose.

“The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has certified all COVID-19 vaccines safe, effective and free.”

She said all Delta residents and persons who are 18 years and above, who have not been unvaccinated, should visit the nearest health facility to get the inoculated.

MEANWHILE, Edo State has confirmed the death of 16 more persons who have not been inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccines, as the government intensifies vaccination across the state to achieve herd immunity against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Incident Manager of the State COVID-19 Task Force, Dr. Andrew Obi, disclosed this after its daily virtual meeting presided over by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

He noted that the 16 new deaths recorded in the last 72 hours increased the number of casualties in the third wave of the pandemic to 50.

Obi, who stated that Edo was also witnessing a rise in test positivity rate in the past nine weeks, disclosed that young people of less than 50 years old accounted for 73.1 per cent of total confirmed cases.

He further disclosed that the state has so far collected 12,912 samples, recorded 1,004 confirmed cases and 346 recoveries, with 608 active cases being managed at various treatment and isolation centres.

Noting that the state government had intensified the vaccination of residents in the 18 councils, Obi said Edo has inoculated over 63,332 persons since the start of the second phase vaccination exercise, adding that 55,766 persons had been vaccinated with Moderna, while 7,566 others were inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccines.