Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The total number of persons infected with Corona Virus disease in Ondo State has turned to eight.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu disclosed this at a press conference in Akure, the state capital yesterday.
He blamed the security operatives manning the various entry points to the state for the alarming rate at which the disease increase in the state.
He said “Ondo State recorded five more cases of COVID-19 infection over the weekend. The fourth and fifth cases occurred on Saturday while the sixth, seventh and eighth cases were discovered on Sunday.
“The fourth and fifth cases were clear evidence of panic, disobedience, lack of discretion and reckless disregard for the well being of others, while the sixth, seventh and eighth Cases were regrettable cases of community transmission whose presence in our state were by default.
“For purpose of clarity and for clear understanding of the facts of the matter by members of the public, the fourth and fifth cases are officers of the Nigerian Police Force, serving under the Lagos State Police Command while the sixth case is a murder suspect who was arrested in Edo State and transferred to Ondo State for trial of crime earlier committed in Ondo State.
“The seventh case was a female civilian who sneaked into the state from Abuja. The eighth case was discovered in Owo and samples taken were confirmed positive late last night.
“The fourth case, the policeman, resident in Lagos, upon noticing symptoms of the viral infection, reported at the National Testing Centre, Yaba, Lagos for medical review on Monday 20th April 2020. Accordingly, his samples were taken while he was told to await his result and further directives in line with established protocols.
“On Wednesday 22nd April 2020, exactly two days after the samples were taken, the case, without concluding the test processes and without any medical clearance proceeded on an unfortunate journey to Akure where his family is based. This journey was unnecessary, ill-advised and a total disregard for the national regulation which forbids interstate movement. It is even more defiant because it violates the total lockdown imposed on Lagos by the Federal Government and the ban on inter-State border movement imposed by Governments of the South West States.
“He arrived Akure on Wednesday and reportedly kept the night in a colleague’s place. On Thursday, the case, as promised, got a message from the National Testing Centre, Yaba, Lagos confirming his sample as having tested positive.
“In order to curtail a further spread of the infection through these Cases, I have directed the activation of a wider processes to trace, isolate and test all primary and secondary contacts with all the cases while at large in the state,” he added
The Governor lamented that the boundaries of the state are still porous as people still move in and out despite the closure.
“Our security agents, who ought to enforce government’s restriction order are themselves accomplices who abuse the trust placed in them at this critical time,” he alleged.