Edo speaker tests positive for coronavirus

Edo state government has confirmed that the index case of coronavirus in the State, that was announced on Monday, is the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye.

The State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, disclosed this while updating journalists after the meeting of the technical committee set up to monitor the spread of the disease.

“The index case of coronavirus in Edo State, is the Speaker ofEdo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye. He travelled to United Kingdom, he came back and went into self-isolation. He sent his sample for testing and it came out positive.

“He is in stable condition. His family members have also been tested and the tests came out negative,” he siad.

The Deputy Governor further explained that Okiye prepared his isolation centre even before his return from UK and embarked on self-isolation immediately he arrived his country home in Uromi.

“The interesting thing about it is that, since when he entered Nigeria, he avoided everybody and he has been putting on face mask, he avoided touching his own vehicle and he went straight into self-isolation.

“In fact, he prepared his isolation centre before he returned from London, he asked his wife to prepare a room for him where he was going to isolate. He actually avoided everybody. The only two persons he had direct contact with were his wife and daughter and they have been tested and fortunately, they tested negative,” he added.

The Deputy Governor assured that the State government has taken adequate steps to curtail the spread of COVI-19 in the State.

“The state government has bought 40 drums of hand sanitizers and will be distributed across local government areas, palaces and other public centres.

He said: “We will maintain that gatherings of persons above 20 is restricted. Markets remain closed, except for those selling essential commodities such as food and medicine.

“We have instructed security agencies to monitor compliance with this order. This order is for our public safety.

“Local government chairmen have also been directed to also enforce such compliance in their respective areas.”

Commenting on Governor Godwin Obaseki’s self-isolation, the Deputy Governor siad all contacts are being tracked.

“Since the Governor came back from Abuja, on his own, he has avoided direct contact with others and he has maintained social distance, he has refused to shake hands with people, even before the issue of contact with the Chief of Staff who tested positive came out. Since the Governor returned from Abuja, he has refused to shake hands with any of us. But, one or two persons that he had close contact with have also been tracked,” he said.

Shaibu disclosed that about 64 percent of the 111 persons being tracked have been contacted, six of them already isolated while five have sent samples for testing.