Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of the NCDC, gave the commendation on Monday in Asaba, during a working visit to the state.

He observed that Delta had so far recorded few cases of the pandemic due to its deliberate efforts and urged the state to sustain the efforts.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ihekweazu was accompanied on the visit by Dr. Fiona Braka, the Officer in Charge, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, Nigeria.

“We are in the state to get first hand information on the activities and challenges of the Delta State Emergency Operation Committee with a view to providing technical support,” Ihekweazu said.

Earlier, the Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, expressed the state government’s appreciation to the NCDC for its assistance.

NAN reports that during the visit, the team toured COVID-19 isolation and treatment centers at the Federal Medical Center and Specialist Hospital, both in Asaba.

Ihekweazu told newsmen shortly after the tour that the role of the NCDC was to encourage and support states to curb the spread of the virus.

He added that the NCDC also served and helped the whole country to prepare for the worst situation and at the same time encourage hope for the best.

He said, “Borders are drawn for political reasons in order to provide governance for people and bacteria and viruses don’t recognise such.”

On her part, Dr. Fiona Braka, Officer in Charge, WHO Country Office, Nigeria, appealed to the people to remain vigilant as the risks of the pandemic were still very high.

“We are here to ensure that what is recommended globally is being done; we contextualise it to the country level, looking at capacities and risks.

“We also scale up this process in a manner that the capacity in the country can manage. We are constantly working with the NCDC to see how we can ramp up this process.

“Certainly, Delta State will be among the states that will be critically looked up for testing capacity,” Braka said.