All suspected cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), whose samples were sent for analysis at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State of Nigeria, have tested negative, the state government said on Sunday.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, in a statement, said the state government has ensured that measures for testing, tracking and diagnosis of the virus are in place in state.
His words: “We are committed to keeping Edo people abreast with the government’s response mechanism to the outbreak of COVID-19 across the world and in Nigeria. At the moment, we want to inform the general public that there is no confirmed case of COVID-19 in Edo State.
“Members of the general public are cautioned to disregard rumours and fake news being spread by unscrupulous elements on social media about COVID-19. Edo people are enjoined to rely on authentic information put out by the state’s Ministry of Health, which is managing the epidemic in the state.
“The state government has taken proactive measures to ensure that we protect our people and guard against the spread of the virus to the state. One of the measures in this regard is the partnership with emergency response bodies in deploying a team to the Benin Airport to provide needed medical service that would ensure that suspected cases of the virus are spotted on time and sent for testing at the accredited institutions.
“The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Okundia, in his last update, said for the last suspected case which was presented at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), samples were taken to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, which tested negative to COVID-19.”
“All suspected cases of COVID-19 whose samples were sent to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) from Edo State, also tested negative to the virus. The ISTH has a World Health Organisation (WHO) designated laboratory for running tests for cases of coronavirus in Nigeria.
“We have also deployed teams to motor parks across the state to screen passengers moving in and out of the state, so as to ensure that any suspected case is picked up as early possible.”
Osagie stressed that the state government was committed to ensuring that its necessary policy directives required for safeguarding the people are in place, as the world battles to check the spread of the viral disease.
