Coronavirus: Obaseki shuts down schools in Edo as state records new case

A new case of the coronavirus was confirmed on Monday in Benin City by the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo state, Prof. Sylvania Okogbenin even as Governor Godwin Obaseki has ordered the closure public schools and prohibited public gathering of more than 50 persons.

Okogbenin, who confirmed the new case at a press briefing by Gov. Obaseki at the state executive chamber in Benin, said the new patient is a new arrival from European countries.

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“Like others, he just returned from Europe and he was tested positive to COVID-19 and has been isolated at one of our isolation centres and he is responding to treatment,” he said.

Gov. Obaseki warned the public against panic, saying that COVID-19 is real and is preventable, just as he announced the closure of all public schools, banning of social gatherings of more than 50 persons, while urging members of the public to practise social distancing and report any suspected case around them for isolation. 

“In Edo state, we have mapped out an action plan to cope with this pandemic. The national sports festival which should have commenced by now if not postponed gave us the opportunity to prepare for the pandemic.

“We have three isolation centres up in Irrua and Auchi and a large number of well trained health practitioners. Coronavirus is not a death sentence, so there is no need to panic. With swift identification and effective care, many patients who have been infected by the virus have made full recovery.

“If we all work together and take the right steps, if possible we may prevent this virus. As you are all aware, the symptoms of coronavirus include dry cough, fever and difficulty in breathing.

“Since COVID-19 is a virus that is transmitted from one person to another through close contact, the most effective remedy to reduce the spread is through social distancing. Social distancing involves reducing, as much as possible, social contact with others.

“The government of Edo state therefore, advises that from today, March 23 every citizen should practice social distancing to prevent the coronavirus from spreading in our state.

“In order to give effect to our social distancing regulation, every public gathering of more than 50 people are hereby prohibited, all public schools are to remain closed and public transportations are to obey the regulation. All public officers below grade level 12 except those providing essential service should work from home until further notice,” Obaseki directed.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami also said despite the precautionary measures so far taken to curtain the spread of the coronavirus in the campus, the university will not hesitate to go on total shut down if directed by the federal government.

The vice chancellor who disclosed this at a press briefing to mark her 100 days in office said the management has already closed down its primary and secondary schools respectively.

She said though the students are currently on break, the institution has equally directed that henceforth seminars and conferences be minimized or totally abolished.

‘’We are in total compliance if there is need for us to take further directive; we will comply with any directive by the National University Commission (NUC), federal government and even whatever the state also demands from us,” she said.