Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has attributed the surge in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 to increased in community testing occasioned by the recent establishment of a testing laboratory in Asaba.
The governor said, through his media aide, that the mobile laboratory testing centre has contributed immensely to increased detection and treatment of cases of the virus in the state.
As at Saturday night, 148 cases had been confirmed with 109 of them being active. 31 patients had been discharged while eight deaths were recorded.
Okowa said the establishment of the testing centre in the state was part of pragmatic steps taken to provide needed facilities and personnel to combat the pandemic.
“Before now, the entire South South states were going to Irrua in Edo to test samples, and you can imagine the queue that was there then; it was so until about a month ago when we acquired one testing laboratory in Delta.
“It has given room now for testing more numbers, which, as at today, we have tested about 900 cases.
“When other states were still grappling with what to do about the pandemic, Delta was proactive in putting necessary things, including personnel in place, and of course, you know that our governor is a medical doctor and a proactive one at that.
“Twelve holding centres and six isolation and treatment centres, with all equipment and personnel needed are in place, and you will recall that Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Director General, Chikwe Ihekweazu, was here some time ago and commended Delta for the facilities put in place.
“Some organisations have also supported us to put other equipment in place, especially in the setting up of two new fully-equipped isolation and treatment centres,” he said.
The governor’s aide acknowledged that the relaxation of the lockdown in the state to a considerable extent, may have contributed to the rising number of confirmed cases of COVID-19.
He said the governor relaxed the lockdown in response to the people’s yearning to return to their businesses because of the seeming hardship the restrictions engendered.
Ifeajika, however, disclosed that schools, night clubs, bars and lounges were still locked down, adding that the closure of the state’s boundaries ordered by the governor before the Federal Government’s ban on inter-state movement, was in force.