Imo records COVID-19 index case

Residents of Imo state have developed cold feet following the confirmation of the index case of the coronavirus pandemic in the state by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) despite the lockdown and imposition of curfew in the past three weeks.

The state chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Kyrian Durueburu and a member of the state committee on the prevention of the spread of COVID -19, disclosed that samples were taken from private hospitals and the Government House, Owerri.

The state chairman of NMA could not specifically, say where the index case came from, saying that only the state government can reveal the identity of the index case.

The state government at the time of filing this report was yet to officially inform the people of the state of the latest development as there seemed to be a code of silence within government circles not to reveal the identity of the index case.

It would be recalled that neither the state commissioner of information nor the health commissioner have issued an official statement on the identity of the index case.

Mr. Oguwuike Nwachukwu, chief press secretary /media adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma when contacted could not confirm the identity of the index case.

He said: “The NCDC has already confirmed that we now have an index case in the state and it is not necessary to ask where the person is from. The important thing is that there is now a case in the state.”

It was reliably gathered from a source in Government House that one of the security aides to the governor has contracted the coronavirus infection.

The confirmation by the NCDC that the first index case in the state was traced to one of the police security aides to the state governor has created panic among the staff of the Government House as many of the staff who may have come in contact with him may have also contracted the COVID-19.

The source further said: “The realisation that one of the security aides to the governor has tested positive has created panic amongst the staff of the Government House and even among the security aides as well.

“Since the confirmation by the NCDC fear has gripped everyone because nobody knows how many people that may have contracted the virus.”

Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Dr Kingsley Achigbu who had earlier addressed the staff of the medical centre said that the first confirmed index case is not a staff of the centre as earlier speculated.

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“We woke up in the early hours of April 25 to the obvious reality that COVID-19 is no respecter of physical boundaries as the first positive and confirmed case was identified in Owerri, Imo state.

“He is a 45 -year- old man who lives and works in Owerri and is not a staff of the centre as may be widely speculated,” Achigbu clarified.

He further disclosed that the victim was promptly admitted into the Isolation facility and presently not showing symptoms and is on appropriate management based on the NCDC guidelines.

“The facility is equipped to handle his case. The essence of this briefing is for us to show more vigilance as well as fully abide by recommended preventive measures such as; frequent hand washing with soap and water, use of alcohol based sanitizers, maintaining appropriate social distancing, avoidance of crowding, consistent wearing of face masks which we have provided for staff in the centre any time you are to leave home,” he advised.