Osun discharges COVID-19 patient, 109 returnees

The Osun State Government has discharged one of the early coronavirus patients and 109 returnees from the United Kingdom and Cote d’Ivoire respectively after they tested negative for COVID-19.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who disclosed this during a press briefing on Sunday at Government House, also advised the Federal Government to shut the entire country for a month.

This, he said, was necessary for Nigeria not to experience situations like those of the US and many other European countries on the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the two- week lockdown was not only in the interest of the masses but the entire country, stressing the need for the Federal Government to extend it to all the states.

He said: “This is not a child’s play. The lockdown is not for the interest of government officials but for the teeming populace to stay healthy and safe.

“Chinese government locked down the country for a month before it could defeat the deadly virus.”

The Governor noted: “The state recorded the first Covid-19 case on the 25th of March, which was confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“The case is a returnee from the United Kingdom (UK), who voluntarily submitted himself for testing and treatment.

“Sadly, between then and now, the number of Covid-19 cases in Osun has risen to 20.

“You recall that last week, we received 127 returnees from Ivory Coast, who came into the country through the Ogun state border, where they were allowed entry and escorted by security officials from Ogun State to Osun.”

According to him, out of the 127 isolated and tested returnees, 17 tested positive for coronavirus while 110 returned negative.

Oyetola added: “The 110 whose results came back negative have been released to join their families.

“Among them are: 11persons to Oyo State, two are going to Lagos State, One to Ogun State, three to Edo and Abia states, four to Delta State and one to Imo State while 85 will remain here in Osun.”

Oyetola said they have been advised to observe prescribed safety and preventive measures and to call helplines if they start to feel unwell.

The governor also noted that one of the early cases in Osun has been discharged after testing negative twice to the virus in line with the prescribed protocol of the NCDC.

According to him: “Considering our peculiar circumstance, there is the urgent need for the Federal Government to assist us in our efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

“Our call is predicated on the fact that some of the samples that were tested indicated a high level of viral loads, suggesting a strong capability to infect massively if necessary measures are not taken.”

He assured Osun residents there was no case of community transmission but of infection within a controlled group, which the government was actively and effectively addressing.