COVID-19: Ekiti to expand isolation centre

Ekiti state government has concluded plans to expand its COVID-19 isolation centre at Oba Adejugbe General Hospital to enable it accommodate 120 patients from as against the initial 10 patients.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, made this known when members of the state task force on COVID-19 addressed journalists on Friday in Ado Ekiti.

Yaya-Kolade said the expansion was to prepare for emergency cases as the coronavirus had continued to spread unabated across the country.

“The expansion of the isolation centre is not misplaced because the pandemic is still ongoing even in the United States of America, hence we have to be proactive.

“To us, this is not a misplaced priority, but signs of good governance.

“Our emergency operational centre is functional and whoever suspects any case should call us. Don’t come to our facility, we will come and pick you wherever you are,” she said.

She debunked the rumour that the state had recorded a third case of COVID-19, saying it was unfounded.

“As of now, there is no active case in Ekiti. There was a misinformation in town that Ekiti has recorded a third case, this is not true.

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“We have so far recorded two cases; the victims were treated and had been discharged,” she said.

The commissioner disclosed that the state now had nine functional ventilators to ensure that no victim of COVID-19 lost his life due to inadequate facilities or poor treatment.

Yaya-Kolade said the government had also taken other proactive actions since March 18, when it recorded the first index case, adding that the two cases were treated with investigational drugs, but she did not expatiate on the medication used.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Commissioner for Budget, Mr. Femi Ajayi disclosed that a total of 20,000 indigent residents have benefited so far from the state food palliatives.

He also said no fewer than 16,000 had received the federal government’s powered conditional cash transfer.