Coronavirus: Ogun quarantines 28 persons, shuts facility

By Ihesiulo Grace 29 February 2020 95 No comment

…We have placed all health institutions on red alert — Delta Govt

…Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta and Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

No fewer than 28 persons have been quarantined in Ogun state for having contact with the Italian confirmed to be carrying Coronavirus while the factory he visited in the state has also been shut down for the time being.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, who disclosed this at a news conference on Friday, advised the public not to panic as the situation is under control.

He said: “The Italian visited Ewekoro in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State on Wednesday, took ill and was treated in a Clinic within the factory he visited but he was later transferred to Lagos using special ambulance service on suspicion that he was carrying the virus”.

He added that measures have been set on motion to interview the 28 quarantined people to know who they have made contact with.

The governor revealed that two isolation centres had been set up within the plant to further monitor other people.

Abiodun said Emergency Operation Centres have been established at Oke – Mosan to handle emergency cases while 20 surveillance centres have also been set up across the State’s 20 Local Government Areas.

The Governor added that the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, earlier designated as an Isolation Centre, would also be upgraded to Virus Security centre with the help of officials of the Federal Ministry of Health who have since arrived the state.

He added that measures were also in place to get in touch with other people that might have had contact with the established index case – both primary and secondary contacts, urging the public to take personal hygiene serious at this peculiar time.

Abiodun said: “The particular company in question has been practically shut down and they have set up two isolation centres within the premises.

“They have identified all those that have been in contact with this index, totalling about 28. All those 28 people have been quarantined.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Government on Friday said it has placed all health-related institutions and disease control mechanisms on red alert in readiness for any possible arrival of Coronavirus in the state.

Briefing newsmen in Asaba, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, said the state was prepared to curtail the disease if there is an outbreak.

Ononye said the state has switched from watch mode to alert mode since the disease was recorded in Lagos.

According to him, the team that successfully managed Lassa fever has built enough capacity and shown commitment to address any health challenge.

Ononye said the seaports in Warri, Sapele, Koko and Oghara have been designated as holding centres for any possible outbreak, saying “all hospitals across the state have been mandated to designate an isolated area as a detention centre for any case of Convid 19”.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, said the fatality rate of Convid 19 is 2.3%, adding that “is not a death sentence.

“It is not as bad as Ebola, and we were able to deal with Ebola. As a state, we maintain international borders because of the airport and seaports, and the disease is coming from outside, unlike Lassa fever.

“We have started screening at Asaba Airport but we want to urge our people not to panic, they should go about their lawful businesses without entertaining fears,” he added.

The Incident Manager, Delta State Response Management Centre, Dr. Anne Ojimba, who said 82,294 Convid 19 cases have be recorded globally, said 2,804 deaths have been so far recorded.

While saying that the cases mostly occurred in China, Ojimba said “there have been reported cases in Algeria and Egypt, making Nigeria a high-risk nation”.

Giving tips on how to prevent the disease, Ojimba enjoined members of the public to always engage in adequate and effective hand washing practice.

She told residents of the state to maintain 1.5 meters away from any person coughing and urged those coughing to observe coughing etiquettes.

Speaking further, Ojimba urged residents to avoid contacts with persons suspected to be having the respiratory disorder, charging health institutions to take precautionary measures.

Delta is among the five high-risk states and Abuja for the airborne disease because of the availability of seaports and airport.