COVID-19: UNILAG Holds Emergency Meeting, May Shut Down Hostels

The Senate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday held an emergency meeting where a decision will be made on shutting down the institution’s hostel.

According to The PUNCH, the meeting – which started around 2 pm – was summoned to take a decision on the COVID-19 situation in the school.

“It should be a short meeting. We will be deciding on whether hostels should be shut and if physical classes should continue. Some of the students are already leaving the hostels even before our decision,” an academic staff revealed.

It was gathered that panic among students and staff of the university over cases of COVID-19 recorded in the school has led to students leaving their hostels.

The spokesperson for UNILAG, Nonye Oguama, said “no comment” when contacted on the telephone by The PUNCH.

One of the students, who reside in one of the hostels on the university campus, confirmed that her roommate tested positive and had been isolated.

“Yes, one of my roommates tested positive. After that, we (other roommates) went for the COVID-19 test but returned negative. People are saying that there is Delta variant on campus but I don’t know how true that is,” the undergraduate added.

UNILAG in a statement by its management confirmed that its medical centre has recorded an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

The statement read, “The University of Lagos Medical Centre wishes to inform all members of the University of Lagos Community about what appears to be the start of a potential 3rd wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lagos State.

“The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, in his press statement issued on July 11, 2021, stated that since the beginning of July there has been a steep increase in the number of daily confirmed cases, with the test positivity rate going from 1.1% at the end of June 2021, to its current rate of 6.6% as at the 8th of July 2021. This is with a concurrent increase in the occupancy rate at Lagos State isolation centres.

“The University of Lagos community has also been affected by this potential 3rd wave, with an increase in the number of patients presented to the University of Lagos Medical Centre with flu-like symptoms which are similar to COVID-19.

“The Medical Centre hereby assures all members of the University community, that all necessary actions in line with the Federal and Lagos State Government guidelines have been taken regarding this potential threat in our community.

“The Medical Centre will also return to providing EMERGENCY ONLY SERVICES during this period, in order to protect all members of the community from potential infection within the facility. The Medical Centre Emergency Contact line: 09095879781 remains open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“Despite this threat to the return of normalcy, pursuit of education and daily livelihood, it has become imperative once more to judiciously adhere to the following COVID-19 guidelines and protocols in order to curb the spread of this disease.”