Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bayelsa State are household contacts of the index case says the Bayelsa State government.

The 49-year-old index case that has a history of hypertension and diabetes had vehemently rejected the test result insisting that she is not suffering from the infection

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had on Thursday night confirmed four additional cases of the infections bringing the total number to five in the state.

The chairman of the implementation committee of the COVID-19 State Task Force and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr Inodu Apoku speaking in a press conference said the four cases were part of the seven samples sent for laboratory testing.

According to him while four of the samples belonging to relatives of the index case turned positive, that of the health care worker that attended to her turned out negative and two other cases unconnected to the index case also turned out negative.

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Apoku who disclosed that the four cases had been evacuated to the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) assured Bayelsans that COVID-19 task force headed by Governor Douye Diri is on top of the situation.

He added: “All four confirmed cases have been evacuated to the NDUTH isolation Centre for further management. We will continue to monitor them and give you updates as events unfold.

“All their contacts will be adequately line listed and followed up including necessary environmental decontamination. Samples will be collected from their high -risk contacts while risk communication and community engagement will continue unabated as usual. The index case is clinically stable and responding adequately to treatment.

“Sixty (60) Contacts of the index case have so far been line listed. They have all been contacted and counselled on a 14 – day self -isolation. They are currently been actively followed up and monitored daily on their health status and adherence to the self – isolation protocols. So far there has been no symptomatic contact and we are quite happy with their level of compliance to self- quarantine protocols.”

“The state government has also made available a controlled quarantine facility that would accommodate contacts who defaults on the self -isolation protocols.”

Apoku who urged Bayelsans to take all preventive measures seriously, reiterated the importance of public vigilance adding that “we have also commenced active health facility case search for any case of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) in our hospitals in order to have a sentinel insight into the importation and possible community transmission of COVID -19.”