Benue records first index case of Coronavirus

• Isolates Eight Others 
• Ibadan Gets Two New Cases

Benue State, yesterday, recorded one index case of coronavirus. Governor Samuel Ortom, who made the revelation during a press briefing at Government House, Makurdi, said the two samples were taken to National Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC). While that of Susan Okpe was proved positive, the other was negative. 

Ortom explained that so far, eight persons that were traced to have had contact with the index case were already quarantined at one of the centres and more were being traced for tracking.

Consequently, the governor has ordered that all markets, social gatherings and churches across the state be shut down by tomorrow, and advised the people to stockpile food stuff and stay indoors for safety. 

Ortom advised residents to call Action Emergency Committee members on the following lines to give information on any suspected case: 0913662439, 07025031214, 08033696511 and 07037449837. 

He said after routine meeting next Monday, six borders linking the state would be closed and advised residents to restrict movement and stay where they are. 
 
Ortom said as a proactive measure, six ambulances earlier given to Social Development Goals (SDGs) had been withdrawn and handed over to the Action Emergency Committee for fast response action. 

The governor, who equally advised that all church weddings be postponed or done at chapels, also warned that burials be done by very few family members. 

Similarly, there was apprehension in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, as the NCDC disclosed via its Twitter handle that two new cases had been confirmed in the state.

This brought the number of confirmed cases in Oyo State to three. The alert NCDC Twitter handle read: “Five new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Nigeria: Three in FCT and two in Oyo State

“As at 8:00 p.m., March 27, there were 70 cases of confirmed COVID-19 reported in Nigeria.

“Three have been discharged with one dead.

“Currently, Lagos has 44 cases; FCT- 14; Ogun – three; Ekiti – one; Oyo- three; Edo – one; Bauchi- two; Osun – one; and Rivers – one.” However, when contacted, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bashir Bello, could not be reached on the telephone. 

However, state government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said new cases had been established, adding that the state task force team was working on the new development.Attempts to get more clarifications from the incident officer in the state proved abortive, as calls made to his mobile line failed to get through.