COVID-19: Ogun confirms new case, identifies 32 contacts

Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

Ogun State government on Tuesday evening confirmed that a new case of COVID-19 has been discovered in the state.

The State Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, confirmed the new case to journalists at the COVID-19 Situation Room in the Ministry of Health, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Coker disclosed that the new case was a 62-year-old male residing in Sagamu who returned to the country on March 17th from the United Kingdom.

She added that the UK returnee tested positive for the novel coronavirus after he presented a history of cough.

The commissioner, who said that the patient has been transferred to the Isolation Centre at the Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, disclosed that 32 contacts – 28 caregivers and four members of family – had also been traced, identified and isolated for testing.

OGUN: COVID-19 UPDATE

This is to announce that we have a confirmed case of the Coronavirus in Ogun State. pic.twitter.com/a7TMrKpNYA

— Ogun State Government – OGSG (@OGSGofficial) March 24, 2020

“Today, we have a new confirmed case of COVID-19 in Ogun State. The said case is a 62-year-old male who resides in Sagamu and he had a history of recent travel, returning on the 17th of March from the UK. He presented with a history of cough and was tested and the test came back positive. Our priority at the moment is to provide care for the gentleman. He’s been transferred to our isolation centre which is located at OOUTH Sagamu.

“All his contacts, who are 28 – a healthcare giver and four members of his family – have been traced and. Identified. He’s been very responsible by isolating himself since he arrived, therefore, he’s made our job quite easy in tracing his contacts,” Coker stated.

She disclosed that the state had begun the production of hand sanitisers which would be distributed to residents of the state.

The commissioner further enjoined residents to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for at least 40 seconds, declaring that “the most effective way of preventing COVID-19 is still hand washing, even more effective than sanitiser.”