Following the confirmation of two fresh cases of coronavirus in Ogun state by Governor Dapo Abiodun on Monday night, the number of confirmed cases in the state is now six.
BusinessDay recalls that after the Italian index case was recorded in Ogun state on the 27th of February, 2020 which was the first confirmed case in the state and in the country, the number of COVID-19 patients has now reached six in the state, with three patients being discharged, including the Italian index case.
Speaking at a news conference held at his Iperu-Remo private residence on Monday night, Governor Dapo Abiodun declared that the two new cases were found from Obafemi-Owode and Yewa-South local government areas of the state, and with this development, all the three Senatorial districts of the state have recorded at least one case of Coronavirus.
“And today, I have the unpleasant task of announcing two new positive cases in Ogun State today, bringing the total to 6 from the index case identified late February,” the governor said.
“Though out of the 6 cases three have been discharged and one is also responding to treatment and on the verge of being discharged, the two new cases may be erroneously considered few but certainly very significant.
He disclosed that one of the cases is from Obafemi-Owode Local Government in Ogun Central whilst the other is from Yewa South in Ogun West, “thus each of the three senatorial districts in the state has one case at least”.
“The fight against coronavirus is a relentless one and the reality of it stares us in the face with increasing figures of the number of positive cases and deaths globally and even on our shores.
He said this is significant, particularly given that the two new cases have no recent travel history or close contact with any positive case with travel history. According to them, one of the new cases is from Mowe, a border town with Lagos State.
“They have since been moved to one of our isolation centres in the state”, he disclosed.
While explaining the steps taken so far in the state to contain the spread of COVID-19, the governor said the state was in the process of concluding plans to take delivery of its molecular laboratory. There are also plans for a mobile testing laboratory, he said.
“In addition, the government is also establishing a drive-through testing facilities, all in an effort to test as many as possible so as to truly confirm that numbers of positive cases we have are a true reflection of the situation in our state.”
Governor Abiodun also cautioned the politically inclined residents of the state not to politicise the stimulus packages that are being arranged to cushion the negative effects of lockdown. “It is worth emphasising for the umpteenth time that each of the pack of seven food items is meant for a household of the elderly, the poor and the vulnerable and not for any street, group, or Community Development Association to unbundle and start sharing the items in bits and pieces. This will defeat the purpose of the palliative,” he noted.
“In the first phase, between 250-300 households are targeted in each ward, and distribution will continue in phases until 1,500 to 2,000 households reach is achieved in each of the 236 wards in the state, approximating to about 2.5 -3 million citizens,” Abiodun explained.
