TheCable

The Edo government says it has intensified vaccination of residents across 18 LGAs as the COVID-19 infection rate rises to 1,098.

Andrew Obi, the state incident manager, said unvaccinated persons account for over 98.7 percent of deaths Edo has recorded in the third wave of the pandemic.

He spoke on Wednesday after a virtual meeting of the state’s COVID-19 task force.

The state government had earlier announced that unvaccinated civil servants be restricted from entering government offices as part of efforts to ensure residents are vaccinated.

According to Obi, the state has recorded the death of another unvaccinated person, making a total of 54 fatalities in the third wave of the pandemic.

He said over 68,533 persons have been vaccinated in the state; 56,482 with Moderna vaccine while 12,051 received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“Edo State, in the last 24 hours, recorded one more COVID-19-related death, 63 new confirmed cases, 54 recoveries and 546 actives cases that are being managed at various treatment and isolation centres across the state,” he said.

“All residents who have been administered with the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine, to come out for the second dose to get full protection against the virus, while others who have not been vaccinated are encouraged to come out and get the vaccination.

“The vaccines are safe, free and effective.”