COVID-19: Umahi confirms second case in Ebonyi

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on Wednesday confirmed the second case of the coronavirus disease in the state barely three days after announcing the index case.

Umahi, in a statewide broadcast, announced that the victim was a 27-year-old man who was arrested on April 25 by policemen at Isieke junction, Abakaliki.

The governor said that the victim was returning from Asaba, Delta and was accompanied by his pregnant wife and household.

“The bus conveying them dropped at Isieke junction as they could not continue their journey because of the curfew at that time,” he said.

He said that the policemen took them to the state’s quarantine centre at Pa Ngele Oruta stadium where returnees were kept and observed.

The governor said that when tests were conducted on them, the victim tested positive, his wife’s result was inconclusive while that of the house help turned negative.

According to Umahi, the tracing of the police officers who arrested them and the driver who conveyed them from Asaba had begun.

“The victim has been taken to the state’s isolation centre at Unity square Abakaliki as I urge the people not to panic,” he said.

The governor condemned the continued disobedience of the government’s directive that citizens of the state should remain where they are residing in the wake of the pandemic.

“This measure is to check the virus from the state and we urge the people to obey this directive.

“The people should observe the precautionary measures of regular hand washing, social distancing, use of face masks and sanitisers among others and present themselves for testing,” he said.