Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew with effect from Monday, March 30th in a bid to curtail the spread of the global pandemic coronavirus in the state.
Governor Samuel Ortom, who made this known during a live broadcast to people of the state Sunday evening, also disclosed that all borders linking the state with other states will be closed on Wednesday, April, 1st.
He, however, noted that those on essential services are exempted from the curfew, adding that public transport vehicles coming in and those going out of the state, as well as those moving from one local government to another, must produce a manifest of their passengers for proper tracking of contacts in case of any eventuality.
In addition to the curfew and closure of borders, the governor reiterated the ban on markets with effect from Monday and public gatherings of all sorts, urging the people to cooperate in the interest of all.
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Ortom also announced other measures including a ban on all night clubs, bars and restaurants which would only render takeaway services, conveyance of a limited number of people by town service buses and tricycles with the use of hand sanitisers by passengers at all times.
He stated further that other proactive steps towards preventing the spread of the disease include social distancing, regular washing of hands with soap and running water, use of hand sanitisers, coughing or sneezing in a bent elbow and wearing of face masks as well as other preventive measures.
While charging people of the state to become information officers in sanitising the public on preventive measures against the deadly coronavirus, the governor also urged those who had contact with the first index case to come out for testing as early detection and treatment could help in saving lives.
He announced emergency helplines to the response team to include the following telephone numbers: 07025031214, 09018602439, 07037449837 and 08033696511 through which the public could call to report suspected cases or seek help from relevant authorities.
Governor Ortom stated that government had already released N76 million naira to the State Action Committee on COVID- 19 and a Hilux vehicle to facilitate its operations, stressing that six ambulances had also been provided to attend to any suspected cases across the three senatorial zones of the state.
The governor, who acknowledged the fact that some of the drastic measures taken by his administration were painful, said they were necessary sacrifices meant to prevent loss of lives due to the global pandemic.
He implored the people of Benue to also seek the face of God through fasting and prayers, saying God works in wonderful ways and would also salvage the situation.
The governor disclosed that the Benue index case, Susan Okpe, a sixty-two-year-old woman, who came into the state from the United Kingdom, voluntarily presented herself for testing when she felt unwell with a fever and cough.
“May I inform you that the patient is clinically stable and responding to treatment. Efforts are being made to trace those who might have come into physical contact with her, and my appeal to such persons is that they present themselves to the Emergency Response Team, for testing,” Ortom stated.
