BREAKING: Abia Gov. Ikpeazu Tests Positive For COVID-19

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has tested positive to Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

BIGPEN understands that the governor had earlier tested negative to the virus but a fresh test conducted on him returned positive last week Thursday.

Sources said that the governor has been on isolation since then and had directed all cabinet members to self isolate and go for the test.

The Abia State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, confirmed the development this morning of Monday, June 8, 2020.

Giving a graphic details of the development, the state Commissioner of Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, recalled that on Saturday, 30th May, 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu volunteered his sample for COVID-19 test and subsequently directed members of the state Executive Council (EXCO) and those of the inter ministerial committee on COVID-19 to submit themselves for the same test. On Tuesday, 2nd June, 2020.

According to the commissioner, the result of Governor Ikpeazu’s test returned negative.

Subsequently, on Thursday, 4th June, 2020, the Governor submitted another sample at NCDC laboratory for confirmation and the result returned positive.

The statement further reads: “As a result, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has gone into isolation, as required by relevant NCDC protocols, and he is being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health.

“Consequent on the above, the Governor has directed his Deputy, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending his full resumption of duties.

“We wish to urge all Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious as the disease is real but not a death sentence. Our state has the resources to manage patients back to good health”, the statement added.

BIGPEN reports that only on Sunday Abia topped the chant of states with daily COVID-19 figures after reporting 67 cases to beat Lagos,adjudged as the epicenter of the infection which added 38 cases last night. So far, Abia has 83 confirmed cases, 76 active and on admission, 7 recoveries and 0 death from COVID-19.