Francis Ogbuagu 
The Edo State Government has urged residents to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festivities with caution and adhere to preventive protocols against the spread of coronavirus in the wake of the third wave of COVID-19 infections across the country. The Edo State Deputy Governor and Chairman, Technical Committee on COVID-19, Philip Shaibu, who made the call while chatting with journalists in Benin, the state capital, reassured the people that the government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens.
Shaibu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Osamwonyi Irowa, advised residents to be cautious amid the fes-tivities to prevent the highly transmissible Delta Variant of COVID- 19 from gaining entrance into the state. The Deputy Governor noted: “On behalf of the Edo State Government, I want to once more congratulate our Muslim brothers and sisters on this auspicious occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. He said: “As we go about with the celebrations, we must bear in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over.
I urge you to be cautious and protect yourselves by adhering to public health and safety measures against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the wake of the third wave of the pandemic. “The Delta variant of the virus has been detected in Nigeria, though no case has been confirmed in Edo State, which makes it even more imperative for us to be cautious and prevent the highly transmissible Delta variant from gaining entrance into the state.
