Governor Udom Emmanuel has said that Akwa Ibom State has spent about N1 billion so far on the management of COVID-19.
Akwa Ibom State has recorded 12 COVID-19 cases since April 1, one patient has died, 8 have tested negative, while 3 are still being treated at the Ibom Multi-Specialty hospital.
Giving an update over the pandemic which has killed one person in the state, he said that the N1 billion was spent on procuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the building of 300-bed isolation centre and the purchase of consumables.
He said Akwa Ibom State has not gotten anything from the Federal Government apart from 1800 bags of rice which he said were not fit for consumption.
On the COVID-19 data, the governor disclosed that samples for the tests were sent four times. He said the first five samples yielded no positive results. The second batch of samples had 17, and 5 came out positive.
In the third batch, 16 samples were sent to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and only 1 came out positive, while in the fourth batch, 31 samples were sent, and 1 result was positive, according to him.
The Governor noted that as at April 27, only 3 active cases were still being managed, adding that the patients were doing well and showing no symptoms.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
