By Ugochukwu Alaribe UMUAHIA – Abia state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has announced the closure of a private hospital where the two index cases of the COVID-19 in the state received Medical attention earlier, before referral to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Umuahia. Ikpeazu stated that all the medical doctors, nurses and patients in the hospital would remain quarantined until the results of their samples are out. Recall that Abia state recorded two index cases of COVID-19 on Monday, April 20, 2020.
The Governor who stated Umuahia explained that the two index cases were between the ages of 70 and 72 years old, who had underlying medical ailment ranging from high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart failure. Ikpeazu expressed optimism that the state medical team has the capacity to handle the cases. He disclosed that the state has commenced massive contact tracing of all persons who had contact with the index cases in Ikwuano, Ukwa West, and Umuahia North council areas of the state. In his words, “The two index cases have made it clear that COVID-19 is real and we had provided two isolation centres in Aba and Umuahia with the capacity taking about 50 patients with ventilators and oxygen to care for COVID-19 patients before now. “We are also lucky that the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia has an additional isolation centre to care for patients of COVID-19 pandemic. These two index cases have placed an additional burden on us to enforce all the NCDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The private clinic where one of these patients was treated is hereby closed to the public until properly disinfected while doctors and nurses who attended to them will be quarantined until the results of their test are out.
“Since the index cases are aged people with no history of traveling outside the state in recent times, we suspect community infection unless our studies prove otherwise. We, therefore, urge our people not to panic, but they should wash their hands regularly with soap and running water, use hand sanitizers, wear face masks and maintain social distancing in the public and stay at home.” On border closure and the stay at home order, Ikpeazu warned that the state would treat anybody violating the order as a saboteur, adding that mobile courts would be set up to prosecute offenders. He urged security agencies guarding the state borders to put extra effort in their duties to protect the state and its citizens. Vanguard Nigeria News
