Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Anamba State Government has commenced the fumigation of major markets to prevent Coronavirus in the state.
Governor Willie Obiano had recently stated that 63 markets would be fumigated as part of measures to prevent the spread of the dreaded virus in the state.
The fumigation excercise which started from the Onitsha Main Market, will continue until all the major markets are fumigated.
The governor of the state while flagging off the excercise, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala, said that the excercise would prevent the spread of Coronavirus and tackle rodents and germs responsible for Lassa fever and other diseases.
He said that the fumigation would be done with diluted sodium hypochloride in line with the provisions of the World Health Organization (WHO), saying that markets were closed in accordance to government directives to prevent the spread of the virus and to accommodate the fumigation exercise.
In his remarks, Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Chief Uchenna Okafor, thanked people of the state, especially the market leaders and traders for cooperating with government.
He said that the level of compliance to government directives was  commendable.
Okafor lauded the state government for leading the battle against Coronavirus, stressing that the closure of markets, schools and other public places in the state were all aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.
The commissioner also noted that the choice of Onitsha Main Market, was significant as the market serves as a hub for West  and Central Africa and the  largest market in the sub-sahara Africa.
The President General of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu  in his speech commended the state government for fumigating the markets.
He further thanked traders for heeding to the government directives stating that Anambra will win the battle against Coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the state government has also commenced the distribution of 200 bags of rice to each of the 181 communities in the state as palliatives to the elderly and the vulnerable in the state.
There’s no confirmed case of Coronavirus in Anambra state yet the government is doing everything possible to maintain the status. It has also continued to prepare to contain any eventuality.
The state government has transformed the main hall of the NYSC camp Umuawulu/Mbaukwu to a 250-bed protection centre. Another protection centre with a High Infectious Disease Unit (HIDU) was also set up at the General Hospital, Onitsha. Such centres were also set up at Ekwulobia and Umueri.
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