COVID-19: Ondo threatens another lockdown

Ondo State government on Friday threatened to reverse the decision to lift the ban on lockdown in the state should the number of COVID-19 cases keep on increasing.

Tribune Online report that the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, on Special duties and Strategies, Dr Doyin Odebowale, gave this hint in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of the state while monitoring Jumat services in mosques across Owo town.

Odebowale noted that in most of the several mosques visited, it was noticed that social distancing was not thoroughly observed while worshippers without nose masks were not allowed entry.

Odebowale said the state government was not happy with the rising cases of COVID 19 incidents in the state.

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He, however, said the COVID-19 Committee would meet with Muslim leaders in the state to enlighten them more on the need to observe COVID-19 protocols.

He said: “We have been engaging the leadership and we hope there will be an engagement. We expect them to improve on. There was not much so distancing and we are not satisfied.

“We will get in touch with the leadership. We are getting more cases and we are not happy about it. We don’t want a situation where the government locks down the state again. If it continues, the government will lock down the state.”

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, said the compliance level was about 60 per cent.

Adegbenro urged member of the public to join hands with the authorities and help to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The state has recorded four deaths and discharged 21 patients cases while eight patients are currently receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital.

Over160 persons who might have come in contact with three new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state are currently being searched for.