52 patients complete isolation as UCH begins COVID-19 test

A total of 52 persons suspected of coronavirus infection have completed their 14-day isolation in Oyo State.

Test for the virus dubbed COVID-19 has also commenced at the Virology Unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

A member of the Oyo State COVID-19 Committee Dr Sola Orilowo confirmed this to our reporter in Ibadan, the state capital at the weekend.

Orilowo also disclosed that two patients still in the government isolation centre were doing very well.

He said a total of 267 persons of interest were in the state out of which 52 have completed their isolation period.

Nine persons, including Governor Seyi Makinde, have tested positive for the virus as at Saturday.

Others included the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UCH Prof. Jesse Otegbayo; Provost, College of Medicine and his deputy.

The three of them tested negative last week.

The persons of interest are those that have had contact with the nine people who tested positive and other positive cases outside the state.

On commencement of COVID-19 test in Ibadan, Orilowo said the UCH test centre started testing samples on Friday, stressing that samples were no longer being sent to Lagos.

Governor Makinde had announced on Thursday the centre, which was supported by the Oyo State Government, will handle tests from Oyo, Ogun and Kwara states, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Oyo State imposed 7pm to 6am curfew one week ago as part of the efforts to contain COVID-19 spread.