Despite the thousands of souls that have been lost world over to the contagious coronavirus, which has held the world hostage, some Nigerians are still seeing it as a myth. But is coronavirus a myth or reality? BENJAMIN SAMSON and TOPE SUNDAY ask in this report.
Nigeria is on the verge of a lockdown owing to the ripple effects of coronavirus, code-named COVID-19. The fear of COVID-19 is everywhere because Nigeria has already recorded a casualty. Despite this, some Nigerians across all strata of the society are still in doubt about the disease.
COVID-19 and its world record
According to the Worldmeters.info, as of March 25, 2020, a total of 468,012 confirmed cases of Coronavirus were recorded in 198 countries and territories with 21,180 deaths.
Nigeria’s first casualty
On Monday, Nigeria recorded its first death from covid-19.The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) tweeted on its tweeter handle that the “The 1st #COVID-19 death in Nigeria has been recorded. The case was a 67-year-old male who returned home following medical treatment in UK. He had underlying medical conditions- multiple myeloma & diabetes and was undergoing chemotherapy.”
The deceased, Suleiman Achimugu, was once the managing director of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company.
His family in a press statement sent to journalists said: “He died of COVID-19 on 22/03/2020 some days after he arrived in Nigeria from the UK. He was in self-isolation upon his return from the UK and personally called NCDC after experiencing some discomfort that are related to COVID-19 symptoms. He tested positive and was promptly evacuated to the specialist hospital. He died while receiving treatment,” the family spokesman, Abubakar Achimugu.
Cases accelerating
As at Wednesday, the number of those who have contracted the virus in Nigeria was 46. “As at Wednesday, March 25, there were 46 confirmed cases of #COVID-19 in Nigeria. Two have been treated and discharged with one death. Two new cases of #COVID-19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: One in Lagos and one in Osun. Both cases are returning travellers to Nigeria in the last seven days. Currently; Lagos- 30, FCT- 8, Ogun- 3, Ekiti- one, Oyo- 1, Edo- one, Bauchi- one, Osun- one, Total: 46 confirmed cases,” NCDC tweeted via its verified Twitter handle.
Myth versus reality
Since the infection broke out in Nigeria, it has been surrounded by myths. Some say it is a disease of the rich, some say the disease cannot survive Africa’s hot weather.
Blueprint Weekend gathered that some Nigerians are yet to believe that COVID-19 is deadly. Against the World Health Organisation (WHO’s) advice on how to curtail the spread of the virus, some Nigerians are going spiritual about the disease.
An auxiliary nurse, Ms. Esther Phillips, who spoke to this medium, believes that the virus is ravaging the world, Nigeria inclusive, but submitted that it could not infect her because she is ‘covered by the blood of Jesus.’
Ms Phillips, who plies her trade in one of the villages in the Jahi district of Abuja, said: “Yes, coronavirus is real and deadly, but I am confident I can never be infected because I am covered with the blood of Jesus. Also, Psalm 91 is very clear on any pandemic that wants to afflict the children of God. I am a believer and no evil will befall my household.”
While ‘nurse’ Esther holds a spiritual belief against the virus and its spread, a bricklayer, Olaniyi Mustapha, told this reporter that “the virus can’t survive the Africa’s hot weather,” and boasted that he could not be infected because he works mostly inside the scorching sun.
Mustapha said, “I am aware that there is coronavirus, but I don’t believe I can be infected because I learnt that the disease can’t survive hot weather. I thank God that I am an African, and proudly a Nigerian. With our weather, the virus can’t infect a poor man like me because I stay in the sun for almost five hours in a day.”
However, in a chat with Blueprint Weekend, an epidemiologist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Dr. Haruna Aminu, debunked the myth, describing them as “unscientific.”
He said, “From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in all areas, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures.
“The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
“I also heard some people saying that the virus affect only older people. They claim younger people and blacks are immune to the virus. This is another lie.
“People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease) are more vulnerable. No race is an exemption, it is a pandemic affecting all race.
“Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn.”
Govt’s efforts
The majority of the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have taken bold steps to curtail the spread of the virus, and their measures included the banning of the public gathering, restriction of church services to a minimum of 50 or 20 people in some states. As at the last count, some of the governors had locked down markets and also banned commercial motorcyclists from operating in their states.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna state chapter, which aligned with the government’s directive, called on the church leaders in the state to support government efforts to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.
The state CAN chairman, Rev. John Hayab, in a statement issued, in Kaduna, said, “The church, as a school of faith, which is known for having large gatherings for church services, weddings, burials, prayer meetings, crusades and revival services must endeavour to join forces with government and health workers to stop the spread of this virus.
“Our role must not just be to pray but we must be seen taking concrete steps for the well being of our flocks and the country at large.
“CAN Kaduna state, therefore, wishes to appeal to all Pastors and Church leaders to read through official guidelines and information about the virus, then tell their members. CAN believes in the efficacy of prayers, but wishes to state that Christians should make use of the pulpit to say only what is medically correct.”
Continuing, he said, “It will not be proper for a pastor to tell his members to come for prayers and special anointing only without doing what is needful such as the washing of hands regularly, keeping required distance to avoid contacts that may lead to being infected by the virus.
“We can also help to reduce the spread of the virus by suspending our large gathering activities for the meantime.”
But some churches last Sunday defied the government’s directive on the public gathering hinging their defence on the spirituality.
Nigerians criticise religious leaders
However, Nigerians have criticized pastors and Islamic clerics who flouted the government’s ban on gatherings of more than 50 persons in the wake of the increasing cases of coronavirus infections in the country.
The senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also came under fire for attending a public lecture.
A cross-section of Nigerians who spoke with Blueprint Weekend called on the government to arrest and prosecute pastors and leaders of Islamic groups that defied the not-more-than-50 people directive issued by the government in the wake of the outbreak.
A lawyer, Dipo Olatejulukman, said it was pathetic to see Muslims holding Friday services and Asalatu when the pandemic is raving the entire country.
“Religion has really eaten deep into Africans that we cannot see what is right from what is wrong. Some even supported the mosque holding Jumaat on Friday. The police ought to have arrested the clerics,” he said.
Similarly, a hair stylist, Joyce Ellams, said, “In as much as I love these men of God, please let’s not encourage disobedience. The Bible asked us to obey the government and those in authority. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
“Don’t we have basic common sense? Can’t we prioritise the lives and health of citizens for once? What is so urgent about this lecture that it cannot be rescheduled in the light of the current realities and crisis?”
Restrictions on religious bodies
Also, in a chat with Blueprint Weekend, a legal practitioner, Barrister Deinma Ataawaji, said the move to enforce restriction on places of worship is justifiable as long as it is applied equally across all religious groups and other types of organizations.
“Policies don’t violate religious freedom laws if they are created in order to save people’s lives. So long as those restrictions are neutral and applicable to everybody, religious institutions have to abide by them.
“However, it’s still wise for government officials to recognize the unique nature of religious institutions’ work and try to be sensitive to their concerns. It can be hard for houses of worship to alter their rituals, but nearly all will be willing to once they understand why it matters. These are measures to save lives, which I believe every faith community no matter it perspective should support.
“Although government officials have the right to order houses of worship to temporarily close their doors, they should be careful on how they wield this power. Regulations are easier to accept when religious groups understand why they matter for their congregations, as well as the surrounding community.
“Expectations need to be clearly spelled out. Many of the altercations between police officers and faith communities over the past weeks were caused by confusion rather than intentional rebellion,” he said.
‘Govt not done enough’
Meanwhile, a professor of Microbiology at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nuhu Idakwo, has blamed the government for not taking proactive measures to stop the spread of the virus. He told Blueprint Weekend that, “For months after East Asia reeled under the clouds of the virus and millions of Chinese citizens were locked down in their cities, the rest of the world looked on.
“But by early February this year, it was clear that Covid-19 was no longer a Chinese affair as the virus started finding its way to other countries in other regions of the world. Even then, Africa appeared detached as the statistics for Covid-19 or coronavirus as it is otherwise known remained starkly low in the continent. At this time, countries in Europe are beginning to take precaution, shutting their borders to and restricting flights from regions most affected by the virus.
“This was when countries in Africa, including Nigeria, ought to have started moving. But rather than take active steps to prevent the spread of the virus to their parts of the world, people were busy peddling rumours of African immunity to Covid-19. It was, perhaps, under this illusion that Nigerian leaders lived doing little.
“As the threat of the virus reaching Nigeria loomed larger and ordinary Nigerians got anxious, Nigeria simply went to sleep while sluggish steps that were limited to our airports were taken to arrest the spread of the virus. But even then, the attitude from Nigerians was one of doubt and tentativeness.
“It didn’t look like they believed in the existence of the virus. Not until an Italian businessman visiting the country suddenly took ill and was diagnosed with the virus did Nigerians know that the virus has slipped into our country. That was Nigeria’s index case. Rather than act fast, the federal government was still full of assurances that Nigeria was up to the task of containing the spread of the virus.”
