At least 17 corps members who were deployed to the state for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have tested positive to the COVID-19 virus and are currently receiving treatment at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Edo state.
Osagie Ebomwonyi, chief medical director of the Stella Obsanjo Hospital made the disclosure on Monday during an inspection tour with Governor Godwin Obaseki on the state’s infectious disease isolation center in Benin City.
The chief medical director said though the confirmed cases are unvaccinated, they are undertaking studies and analysis to find out if there is Delta variant in the state.
In his remarks, the governor said the state is well-prepared to deal effectively with the Delta variant of coronavirus (COVID-19), noting that there has been no confirmed case of the deadly variant of the virus in the state.
“We are beginning to see an increasing number of cases of the Delta variant in the country; this has become worrisome, hence the need to undertake a thorough analysis and study of the situation and use the data and information collected to make decisions on issues,” he said.
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“One of the decisions to be made is the nature and preparation of facilities to receive patients for treatment in case we find ourselves in a difficult situation. The Delta variant is very contagious and spreads very wide, with a greater impact on those that are yet to be vaccinated,” he further said.
“We are here at this center to check the readiness of the facilities and the availability of oxygen, as well as ensure that we have all it takes to move 100 patients for treatment,” he added.
On plans to vaccinate more Edo people to protect them from the deadly virus, Obaseki said, “I spoke with the National Primary Healthcare Agency last week and as we speak now, I believe that the plane conveying about four million vials of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should be landing in Abuja, if it hasn’t already.
“We are making arrangements, as a state, to go out and pick up our own consignment and bring them in here to vaccinate more of our people; we don’t have to wait for the national logistics to come and deliver to us. I have made arrangements to charter a plane to go bring them; if I have to personally go and collect those vaccines, I will do so.”
The governor was accompanied by Philip Shaibu, his deputy, Darlington Obaseki, chief medical director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) to assess the state’s readiness to respond to the Delta variant of COVID-19.
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