COVID is back, wear double face masks - Nigerian hospital warns

The National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital has warned that COVID-19 is back and deadlier than its variant that led to a pandemic in 2020.

The warning was stated in a memo dated August 22, 2023 and addressed to the hospital community.

It advised residents against hugging each other and encouraged people to wear double facemasks.

The memo sighted in a publication on Saharareporters, was signed by the Head of Clinical Services, Dr. Yakubu E. N. with the title; "FYI: COVID Is On The Prowl Again, Caution, Please," warned that with the new variant, "BA.4 and BA.5 COVID delta, there is no cough, no fever."

He that, "It's a lot of joint pain, headache, neck and upper back pain, general weakness, loss of appetite, and pneumonia.

"Sore throat that resembles strep throat, and of course, is more virulent and with a higher mortality rate. It takes less time to go to extremes. Sometimes without symptoms. Be more careful."

According to Yakubu, the new COVID variant directly affects the lungs and that the nasal swab tests are very often negative for the disease and that there are more and more false negative results from nasopharyngeal tests which make it harder to detect.

"This strain does not live in the nasopharyngeal region. Now it directly affects the lungs, which means that the "windows" periods are shorter. There have been several patients without fever, without pain, but who report mild chest pneumonia on their X-rays. Nasal swab tests are very often negative for COVID-19, and there are more and more false negative results from nasopharyngeal tests.

"This means that the virus spreads and spreads directly to the lungs, causing acute respiratory stress caused by viral pneumonia. This explains why it has become sharp, more virulent, and deadly. Please, be extremely careful.

"Avoid crowded places, keep 1.5 distance even in open places, double face masks, and wash your hands often (and when you cough or sneeze). Please no hugs, it is very dangerous at the moment, as almost everyone is asymptomatic.

"This "wave" is much more deadly than the first, so we have to be VERY careful and take every kind of precaution.

"Do not keep this information to yourself; share it as much as you can, especially with your friends."