Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says he experienced most of the symptoms associated with coronavirus during his 14 days in isolation.

The governor noted that his experience further proved to him that COVID-19 is real.

Sanwo-Olu explained that he had a good medical team that attended to him each time he experienced a new symptom.

He shared his personal battle against the virus in a briefing held at the State House, Marina on Thursday.

He said, “COVID-19 is real”, apparently cautioning those still in doubt of the outbreak of the pandemic.

The Governor, on December 11, went into self-isolation after exposure to an infected aide. His test result came back positive, the day after.

Sanwo-Olu, however, said he was “fortunate to have had a relatively moderate experience in the course of his infection”, but added that he “experienced most of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, including cough, fatigue and loss of smell”.

The Governor expressed concern about the new surge in the rate of infection, disclosing that Lagos was now recording 18 per cent in positive results from the daily testing.

He said, “Fellow Lagosians, let me sound this note of warning again, as I have done from the onset of this pandemic, COVID-19 is real. It is here with us, and it is not a respecter of anyone, or of social class, religious belief, or partisan affiliation. Not only is the virus here with us, but this second wave we are currently seeing is also proving to be more ambitious than the first wave.

“We are seeing infection figures that are surpassing what we saw at the peak of the first wave, and, just like then, Lagos remains the epicentre. As a densely-populated city, and a centre of international trade and commerce, this is not surprising in any way. But, it is also the reason we need to exercise an abundance of caution in this period.”

The Governor stressed that the State Government was not resting on its oars to halt the second wave of the pandemic, disclosing that the State had started to raise the capacity of its isolation centres and General Hospitals by installing Oxygen Kiosks, which are needed for treatment of COVID-19 patients with compromised respiratory tracts.

Sanwo-Olu said six Oxygen Kiosks out of the ten proposed in the first phase would be unveiled next week.

The Governor restated that the emergency required to tame the second wave of the virus would not permit public gatherings and crowding, especially in Yuletide when religious centres would be holding services and vigils.