The Edo State Government has announced the discharge of five of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in the state, after they tested negative twice for the virus, following their treatment at the state’s isolation centres.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, in a statement, said: “I am pleased to announce that 5 of the confirmed cases in Edo State have now tested negative twice for COVID-19. They have thus been discharged. This bolsters our resolve to defeat this common enemy, as we roll out more measures to check the spread of COVID-19.”
During a press briefing in Benin City, to confirm the discharge of the patients, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Okundia, urged all residents to strictly comply with the state government’s directive to prevent further spread of the virus.
Okundia said, “It is with great delight we announce to Edo people today that 5 out of our confirmed cases currently receiving treatment have tested negative, met criteria for discharge and have been discharged. While another one is currently being prepared for discharge.
“COVID-19 is not a death sentence and not a lifelong disease. Once treated and discharged, you are now free to live a normal life. The government encourages everyone with symptoms of the disease to come out for the screening, testing and treatment as prompt detection and treatment increases the chances of survival.”
He added: “All citizens of Edo State are hereby encouraged to abide strictly with government directives on social distancing, use of facemasks in public, regular handwashing with soap and running water or using alcohol-based sanitisers, cough etiquette and compliance with the stay-at-home order.”
The commissioner said since the first recorded case of COVID-19 in Nigeria, several measures have been put in place by the Edo State Government to contain the spread of the virus before the state recorded the first case on March 23, 2020.
Okundia identified the measures to include intensified awareness creation and sensitisation of the public through various media outlets, active surveillance and case search activities, training of healthcare workers across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State on the management of COVID-19 and the establishment of isolation centres at Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Irrua Specialist Hospital (ISTH), University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Central Hospital, Auchi, as well as the training of the workforce in these centres.
He added, “As at today, there has been the activation of screening centres for COVID-19. Ten centres have been activated in Oredo LGA, namely PHCS in Aruogba, Oko, Ugbor, New Benin, Ikpema, Oredo and four Private Hospitals, namely St. Philomena Hospital, Faith Mediplex, Bethel Faith and Safe Haven. The state government is assiduously working on massive scale-up across the other LGAs in the next 14 days.
“There have been a total number of 121 suspected cases of COVID-19 out of which we have 15 positive cases and unfortunately 1 death. All the positive cases are receiving treatment in isolation centres in Stella Obasanjo Hospital, ISTH and UBTH.”
“COVID-19 is real with immense impact on the health and wellbeing of the general populace and we all have a collective responsibility to contribute our quota in ending this scourge”, Okundia noted.
He also, commended health workers in the state for their dedication and resilience, urging residents to “call the toll-free lines that have been activated by Edo State Government for assistance: 08001235111, 08002200110.”
