Prison officer, 3 others test positive for COVID 19 in Ondo

Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

Among the four persons, according to the governor was an official of the state command of the Nigeria Correctional Centre.

This is even as the governor has directed churches and mosques in the state to open for guided religious activities.

The new cases according to the governor were confirmed by the Nigeria  Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Addressing newsmen, Governor Akeredolu noted that 13 persons suffering from COVID 19 had already been discharged from the hospital, while six persons were still being treated at the isolation centre.

He said “we had 20 cases only. 13 had been discharged, one dead and six on bed. Today, four more cases have been added, making a total of 24 cases. Among the additional four, only one was a case of inter-state importation. It was a case of an individual of northern Nigeria extraction who travelled from Sokoto state to Ondo state.

‘The second, third and fourth cases were those of community transmission. While the second case was discovered at Oluwatuyi Quarters, Akure and reported by the Federal Medical Centre Annex, Akure, the third case is an official of the Nigerian Correctional Services who is resident in Ijoka road, Akure.

“His case was reported by the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Akure complex. The fourth case was presented to the General Hospital Igbara Oke as a regular patient of flu, fever, cough and other symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.

“He died the same night he was brought to the hospital. Not leaving things to chances, our health workers ensured the corpse was tested for COVID-19 and the result came back positive. The corpse has since been buried in his hometown, Iragbiji, Osun State.  Apart from contacting Osun State government accordingly, we have activated a wide line tracing to arrest further infection and possible spread.

“From all I have said concerning our four additional cases, it is evident that the greatest threat to our efforts is the poor response to the protocols meant to prevent the spread of the virus.  This has been the cause for the avoidable community transmission of the pandemic. This infection which takes the form of inter-state importation and local inter-personal transmission ensures that the only option left for us is to be vigilant about human and vehicular trans border transportation. Without doubt, it also leaves us with the option to increase our compliance with the established standard response protocols to this Pandemic.

“We cannot fight COVID-19 on our own terms and conditions. We cannot win this war in a manner considered favourable to individuals. We cannot live our lives pleasurably as before and hope that COVID 19 will go away on its own accord.  We must sacrifice and dedicate ourselves to the approved measures to save our own lives and those of our loved ones.

Meanwhile, Akeredolu has ordered the resumption of guided and syndicated religious activities throughout the state, saying that the implementation of the resumption of activities will be gradual and systematic.

“As agreed with religious leaders, in specific terms, worship centres are to commence their main activities with effect from this Friday. However, such approvals are not blanket and without restrictions, rather they are to be guided by the following which are derived from the general response protocols on COVID-19 nationally:

“Only weekly Friday Jumat services and Sunday Church services will commence in the first instance. Other daily programmes within the week are not yet approved for take off.

“Religious leaders and administrators must ensure strict compliance with the social and physical distancing in the places of worship. In the case of churches, not more than three people are expected to sit on a pew while the equivalent applies to the sitting positions in the mosques and other worship centres as well.

“Water and soap must be provided at all entries into the centres or halls of worship. All worshipers must be made to wash their hands in the standard pattern approved and practised since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Hand sanitizers must be provided and used by each worshipper at every entry point to the centres and at other convenient points within the premises.

“All worshippers and workers inside the centres and within the premises must wear face masks properly for the duration of the service.

“Churches, mosques and other religious centres must regularly decontaminate and sanitise the premises, facilities and equipment before and after the services,” he added.