Fear grips Osun residents as COVID-19 cases rise to 14

• I am worried, says Rep
• Rise to our aid before its too late, monarch begs Buhari, others
Residents of Osun State have been thrown into panic following the confirmation of 14 cases of Coronavirus in the state.

Aside two cases that were said to be returnees from the United Kingdom (UK), 12 cases confirmed so far are indigenes who just returned to the state from the West Coast countries.

It was gathered that over 140 people were rescued from Ogun State border where they were initially prevented from accessing the state. Some of them were said to have tested positive to the virus while Osun still awaits the results of about 100 other returnees.

The state is said to have less than 50 beds in the isolation centre in Osogbo.

Meanwhile, some residents of the state have expressed worry over the development as they argued that some of the returnees had sneaked out of an isolation centre in Ejigbo and mixed with their families.

One of the indigenes of the state, Mr. Akintunde Bello Sheriff, urged the state government to maintain the lockdown and also ensure that food banks are established for residents.

Also, in a statement, a member representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bamidele Salam, expressed worry over the reports that some of the returnees in Ejigbo played host to relatives under the cover of the night.

Salam, therefore, indicated interest in joining hands with the emergency relief committee set up by the state government and community leaders to scale up his personal intervention of providing relief to vulnerable members of the communities in his constituency.

In a related vein, a traditional ruler in the state, Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential task force and corporate organisations, as well as well-meaning individuals to assist Osun State government to fight the scourge.

Olowu, in a statement by his media office in Kuta yesterday, said that wealthy individuals should lend a helping hand to Osun State to save the state from the disease.