Akeredolu laments COVID-19 communal transmission trend in Ondo

• Urges residents to choose between life and death
• Bans premiership viewing centres

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has raised the alarm over the communal transmission trend of COVID-19 in the state with seven deaths and 113 cases through contact tracing.

Akeredolu, who lamented the significant increase, spoke yesterday in Akure during the weekly briefing on the pandemic, warning of imminent dangers ahead.

The governor, who bemoaned that all standard global measures put in place by the state government were defied by residents of the state, disclosed that 14 cases were currently on admission, with seven deaths, 22 discharged, adding: “These are out of 568 total cases reported, 663 total samples collected and 655 total lab results received. We are currently following 113 contacts.

“What these tell us is that COVID-19 is fully here with us and that community transmission is now a reality. For avoidance of doubt and to explain the situation in simpler form, community transmission of COVID-19 simply means the spread of this deadly disease within our communities and within the state from persons to persons.

“As a people, we must make a choice now between life and death, between health and wealth and between stability and unhappiness. We must find a balance between our pleasure and daily freedom on one hand and the survival and self-preservation of our society on the other hand.

“All Premiership football viewing centres are hereby banned from operations until further notice. All religious organisations are to further ensure stringent implementation of the agreed guidelines for worship.

“All members of the public who had patronised the fairly used fabric and shoes stalls at Oja-Oba Market in Akure where our 43rd case was picked up, are advised in their own interest and for the good of our society to present themselves to our health facilities for immediate testing and proper care before it is too late.”

The governor, who listed the recurring cases from 24 in the last 13 days to 43, both inter-state importation and community transmission, which involved a journalist and a clergy, said: “The 32nd confirmed case is a male journalist aged 33 years who resides at Ore, Odigbo Local Council. He is a contact of the 28th confirmed case, and developed fever. His samples were collected and later returned positive today.

“The 36th confirmed case is a clergyman aged 59 years who resides at Ondo in Ondo West Local Council. He had travel history to Lagos where he developed difficulty in breathing. He returned to Akure and died while receiving medical attention at Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure.”

“The 41st confirmed case is a female trader who was confirmed positive in Imo State, escaped isolation and was tracked to Oja-Oba Market, Akure in Akure South Local Council where she sells fairly used fabrics and shoes.

“The 42nd confirmed case, also a male aged 45 years, is an artisan who resides in Akure town. The 43rd confirmed case, a female aged 72 years, is a home-practice nurse who resides in Akure town.”