Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and has activated emergency operations.

He disclosed this in a statement that he personally released on Sunday morning to the people of the state on his Twitter handle.

Makinde stated that well equipped Infectious Disease Centre has been put in place at Olodo in Ibadan with capacity for over 100 cases.

Related: 3 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Lagos

According to him, “The COVID-19 confirmation test for the suspected case at Bodija has come back POSITIVE. The result was released at 17:35 PM of March 21, 2020. Oyo State Public Health Officials are collaborating with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan’s team on the case.

“A follow up on the Ekiti COVID-19 case revealed that the deceased was picked up directly from Lagos Airport to a private apartment in Ona Ara Local Government Area.

“The health authorities have contacted the family concerned and the community has been alerted for intensified contact tracing and self-isolation of identified close contacts. The information given that he stayed in some hotels in Ibadan has been found to be false.”

Makinde stated further that another returnee from Texas, United States of America, has also been identified at Oluyole Local Government Area, adding that she had been kept in self-isolation with close monitoring by the State Epidemiological Team.

“All recent returnees are again urged to identify themselves to ministry officials and self-isolate for 14 days,” he said.

Makinde made it known that his government had released funds for activation of Emergency Operation Centre at the Ministry of Health, the establishment of Diagnostic Centre for the screening of coronavirus and other related infectious diseases to be stationed at the UCH, Ibadan, equipping of the newly designated Oyo State Infectious Disease Centre at Olodo that has the capacity for over 100 cases.

The governor released the following Oyo State Ministry of Health Helplines: 08038210122/ 08023229267/ 08073431342.