We have only seven patients in our isolation centre – Ogun government

The Ogun Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, on Thursday, said only seven out of 721 patients were in an isolation centre in the state.

Coker made this known when she joined the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, to receive 300,000 face masks donated by a Chinese company, Lee Group of Companies, located in Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode.

She said that 97 per cent of the patients were being given home treatment as directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

The commissioner added that the remaining patients in the isolation centre were admitted due to their symptomatic status.

She said the government was not short of bed spaces in spite of the cases of COVID-19 recorded.

She added that 400 patients had been discharged while 300 patients were being managed in a community with home treatment.

The commissioner said the seven patients, who were in the isolation centre, were in-patients that required oxygen or ventilation.

“We are not short of bed spaces because as you know 97 per cent of our cases are asymptomatic and mild diseases and the NCDC directives now are home management for people with mild disease and asymptomatic diseases.

“So you have about 300 people in the community that are being managed as home care in a community and we are following them up. We have so far discharged about 400.

“So, in the isolation centre right now, we have only seven patients as in-patients; these are patients requiring oxygen or requiring ventilation.

“If you don’t require oxygen or you are asymptomatic, you could be managed at home and we used that opportunity to actually educate their family members on how to protect themselves and not getting infected,” Coker added.

The General Manager of the company, Mr Philip Seng said 300,000 face masks were donated to the state government in order to prevent community spread of COVID-19 in the state.

He urged the state government to distribute the face masks to frontline workers and other residents of the state.

The deputy governor, who received the face masks on behalf of the state government, expressed appreciation to the Chinese company.

She urged the management of the company to devise all means to protect their staff from contacting COVID-19.

The deputy governor also advised the company to sensitise their staff on preventive measures.