UNILAG mulls closing down hostels amidst COVID-19 infections among students

The Senate of the University of Lagos may shut the institution’s hostels after its emergency meeting on Wednesday.

According to The Punch, the meeting was summoned following panic among students and staff of the university over cases of COVID-19 recorded 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,” the academic staff said.

Some students and lecturers in the university confirmed the development to The Punch on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday.

They noted that students and workers in the hostels are mostly affected.

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

A student who resides in one of the hostels said, “We are having many people falling sick with COVID-19 symptoms.

“We don’t know what is happening. Many of us have to start going home instead of sleeping in the hostel.”

Another student 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.

The management of the university also confirmed that UNILAG medical centre has recorded an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

It also confirmed that the institution is being affected by a potential third wave of coronavirus in a ‘COVID-19 pandemic update’ published on the university’s website on Tuesday.

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.”