The Ondo State government has ordered total closure of all markets in the state to stem down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, just as the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 in the state, on Monday, disclosed that 12 cases of COVID-19 existed in the state.
The State Commissioner of Health, and the chairman of the committee, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, who disclosed this, said five cases had been returned negative.
The Ondo State government had earlier ordered partial closure of markets across the state, but the directive advisedly, excluded life-saving items such as food, water and medicines.
In a statement issued and signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo, the government noticed that residents had failed to comply with the directive to stay at home.
He said the closure became necessary as “It has been observed that residents have flagrantly disobeyed this directive which is a potent measure to avoid the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Compelled by this unwholesome infraction, Government hereby places a total ban on all markets across Ondo State with effect from Tuesday, 31st March 2020.
“This ban is irrespective of any item. For emphasis, all markets must remain closed until further notice. the statement said
However, the State Epidemiologist, Dr Stephen Fagbemi, has called for total lockdown in the state to avoid the spread of the virus in the state.
According to him, the strategy in the country is to limit people the number of people who contracted the virus by breaking transmission, isolating people and keeping people at home.
He said “almost anybody who can go out is still going out. Very few people have decided that there is danger out there, I’m going to stay indoors.
“Government needs to be emphatic. Already some states are on lockdown, the Federal Government has also locked down some states. Maybe the federal government is waiting for us to have 10 cases before they lock us down.
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“If we wait till we get 20 case before the Federal Government locks us down, we would have waited too long. Currently, Ekiti, Edo, Kogi states are on lockdown. So, we should also do that and tell everybody to stay at home. If we are able to do that, number of cases will be minimize.
He, however, identified the challenge of accessing food as a big threat to the lockdown saying “the challenge of total lockdown is the challenge of feeding. How do people have access to food?
He stated that “Nigeria is beginning to enter its own outbreak fully. This time last week, we had very few cases, now we are having over a hundred. By the end of this week if our projections are right we would be over a thousand.”
The Health Commissioner, however, maintained that “In Ondo State as at now we do not have any confirmed case because we have the capacity to test so few.
“We were given only just a few test kits and we are rapidly utilizing them. Until the weekend we have just only five test kits, we were give given additional 20 and we have used have of that over the weekend.
“We are aware that this problem is at our doorsteps. In terms of mounting a response, this government has taken a step and fund has been approved and we are waiting for the release before the end of the week.”
Adegbenro disclosed that the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, has approved the sum of N98.4m to the committee to carry out its duties effectively.
Adegbenro said the state Infectious Disease Hospital has become functional but that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has ordered all confirmed cases in Ondo be transferred to Lagos State for treatment, while the testing centre in Ede in Osun State is being used for test.
The Health Commissioner said it was worrisome that some persons were still doubting the existence of COVID-19 but assured that the committee would continue to do its best to ensure residents in the state comply with the state government directive.
He said five ambulances were donated by the Primary Health Care Board in case more patients needed to be transported while he also commended the Catholic Community for donating 14,000 fliers to help sensitise the public.
On the low number of ventilators, the Commissioner noted that preventing the spread of COVID-19 is more important than ventilators.
He said the state has a purpose-built infectious hospital to isolate patients and that more isolation centres would be built in other parts of the state.
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