3 COVID-19 Cases In Delta ‘Doing Well’, A lot Of Contacts’ Samples Return Negative

The Delta State Government, on Tuesday, says three remaining cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state, are ‘doing well’.

BIGPEN reports that this is coming in the wake of speculation that the State Government response to COVID-19 disease and the well-being of patients in isolation centres in the state, has been shrouded in secrecy.

No update has been given on the COVID-19 patients in the state since the second case of COVID-19 in state unfortunately died on April 9, just after his blood samples returned positive to the virus.

The governor has not also comment on the fourth case in the state since Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), announced it on April 15 thus fueling anxiety about the state of things in the state.

Delta had maintained the containment of COVID-19 through an early lockdown which began April 1 for 14 days, however, extended in addition to a dusk to dawn curfew imposed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The state recorded its index COVID-19 case on the 7th of April, exactly seven day after the governor declared a lockdown.

Governor Okowa had in April 14 while extending the lockdown, said that 24 persons out of 70 traced to some of the COVID-19 patients were still at large.

It was not clear as of press time if these contacts have been traced, isolated or still going around spreading the virus in the state.

“We want to assure you that we have continued to do contact tracing. 70 contacts have been identified. 46 of them, have been reached and we are trying our best to get the remaining 24. Some persons have been isolated in their homes or what we refer to as self-isolation. That is when the officials involved have been able to get the satisfaction that such persons can truly be isolated in their homes. Some other persons that cannot be isolated in their homes, they are currently being isolated in three different centres”, Okowa said.

On Tuesday, State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who spoke of the condition of the three cases after a virtual state Executive Council meeting, said that the state government was considering making the use of face mask compulsory for residents in the state as part of measures to check the spread of Covid-19.

“We are concerned about the lives of our people and a decision to send a Bill to the House of Assembly to make it compulsory for everyone to wear face mask before appearing in the public was taken.

He explained that the decision to make the use of face mask compulsory for citizens while in public places was based on the fact that to a large extent, face mask had helped to reduce the spread of the virus, the causative agent of Covid-19.

“The decision to lockdown the state was reviewed and we expressed satisfaction that the proactive lockdown of the state had paid off as it has ensured that the number of Covid-19 cases in the state remained at four.

“We have taken a lot of samples for test and so far, the results that we have received came out negative; it is unfortunate that we lost one person and we are grateful to God that the three cases that we have are doing well.

“Once their results come out negative twice, they will return to their families”, he enthused.