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Ondo confirms first COVID-19 death, 16th case

By Oluwaseun Akingboye (Akure) and Ayodele Afolabi (Ado-Ekiti)
12 May 2020   |   3:04 am
Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said that the state yesterday recorded the first death of COVID-19 patient, who was said to be a policeman with renal complications

Governor raises the alarm over influx of almajiris into state
• Ekiti discharges five COVID-19 patients, expands isolation centre

Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said that the state yesterday recorded the first death of COVID-19 patient, who was said to be a policeman with renal complications, while the line tracing of the new cases had been activated.

Akeredolu, who spoke in Akure during the weekly update on coronavirus pandemic in the state, confirmed the 16th case and the first fatality in the state.

He said: “This makes a total of 16 cases recorded so far in Ondo State. Of the 16 cases, six have been successfully treated and discharged while nine are under care at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Akure.

“The 16th case, who is from Ile-Oluji, had just been admitted into isolation in the IDH. We have also been told that line tracing for three new cases had been activated.

“However, I regret to inform you of the sad loss of one of the three new cases. The unfortunate incident occurred early this morning. The case was already a patient with a renal condition.”

Besides, the governor has decried the continued influx of almajiris from the northern part of the country into the state, stressing the need to enforce stricter measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Akeredolu, who lamented the influx of young people from some states in the northern part of Nigeria into the state, said: “This new and embarrassing experience is a matter of serious concern. These Nigerians are called “Almajiris” in the northern part of Nigeria. They are mostly destitute and are without a doubt very vulnerable to the COVID-19 infection.

“Their massive influx into other states, particularly in South-West, coinciding with the spread of COVID-19 constitutes a great threat in many respects and calls for concern.”

To curtail the violation on the interstate lockdown and almajiris influx, he said: “Government has set up an effective and already running system of containment which returns the almajiris to their states of origin.

“On this, my message to you at this time is to remain vigilant and be conscious of happenings in your environment. You are enjoined to report cases of such importation of almajiris to appropriate authorities to help us effectively curtail community transmission of COVID-19 in our state.”

In another development, the Ekiti State government yesterday announced the discharge of five more patients from its isolation centre and that it planned to expand the isolation centre to 100-bed space for more preparation on the pandemic.

With the development, Ekiti has 15 confirmed cases, nine discharged, one death and five active cases.

The state’s Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Mojisola Yahaya Kolade, who disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists on the update of the activities of the state task force on COVID-19, said: “We are discharging five patients today out of the 10 active cases. The discharged patients are healthy now and they have tested negative for coronavirus

“Because of the increase in the pandemic, the governor has approved the expansion of the bed capacity in the isolation centre to 100-bed capacity in case of any eventuality.

“We still have contacts of patients that we are tracing, the remaining patients in the isolation centre are being treated.”

Also, the Co-ordinator of Ekiti State Task Force on COVID-19, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, said the government was making concerted effort to tackle the influx of strangers at the border.

“In terms of security, situations have indicated that people are moving in from another state. We have dispatched a lot of security to the strategic places, the strange visitors have been returned at the border.”

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