Dan Majang, Plateau State Commissioner for Information

Plateau has recorded 182 cases of coronavirus in the past one week, the Commissioner for Information announced on Friday.

Mr Dan Majang, who made the announcement at a news conference in Jos, pleaded with residents to be conscious of the rising cases of the disease in the state.

Briefing reporters along with the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ndam Lar, the commissioner disclosed that Gov. Simon Lalong, who tested positive for the virus was responding to treatment.

Majang said that the governor had admonished residents of the state to adhere to the safety protocols put in place to curb the spread of the disease.

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“Cases of COVID-19 are rising in Plateau State and all citizens are expected to adhere to the protocols.

“This week alone, the state has recorded 182 cases and the number is rising steadily.

“Since inception, we have 4,179 confirmed cases; 3,932 people have been discharged, while 34 people have died from the disease.

“So, people must know that any decision this government takes is in the best interest of the citizens,” he said.

Also speaking, Lar blamed the rising cases of the disease on a lack of adherence to safety protocols by residents of the state.

He lamented that people had continuously violated the protocols at markets, worship centres, wedding events and other social gatherings.

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Lar said that government had not contemplated locking down the state as being speculated in some quarters, warning, however, that the government would not hesitate to do so if the cases continued to increase.

He appealed to residents to take the COVID-19 protocols seriously, particularly during the yuletide, noting that people would be travelling from different parts of the world for the celebration.

The commissioner advised elderly persons in the state not to visit areas with a large gathering of people.