Osinbajo, Fayemi, Obaseki, others in self-isolation
20 Osun judges in self-isolation
The number of people suffering from COVID-19 in the country rose from 18 on Thursday, March 19 to 51 on Wednesday March 25.
As of yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 46 cases.
“Two new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: One in Lagos and One in Osun. Both cases are returning travellers to Nigeria in the last 7 days. As of 7am 25th March, there are 46 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. Two have been discharged with one death,” NCDC announced in the morning.
At 11:25pm, it said the cases had increased to 51. “Five new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: Two in the Federal Capital Territory, two in Lagos and one in Rivers State. Three are returning travellers into Nigeria and two are close contacts of a confirmed case. As of 11:25pm, 25th March, there are 51 confirmed cases, two discharged, one death,” it stated in its Twitter handle.
A breakdown of cases by states shows that Lagos State still leads in the number of confirmed cases in the country with 32, followed by Abuja with 10, Ogun State, three, and Ekiti, Oyo Edo, Bauchi Osun and Rivers states one apiece.
While 48 persons are presently in isolation receiving treatment, two of the cases have been successfully treated and discharged while one person died on Monday.
A majority of the cases reported are travellers who just returned to the country.
Other cases are people who had contact with infected persons.
Some senior government officials have tested positive while others have self-isolated.
The positive cases include the governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Bala Mohammed, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari.
Meanwhile, the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who had contact with Kyari has gone into self-isolation although he tested negative for the disease.
Some Presidential Villa officials, the governor of Kogi State Mr. Yahaya Bello and some others who had contact with Kyari are also self-isolation.
Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi, said he had gone into self-isolation having been exposed to two people who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
He also said he had been tested for COVID-19 and urged other governors to do the same.
Fayemi, on Twitter handle @kfayemi said, “I just took a COVID-19 test, having gone into self-isolation since yesterday (Tuesday) evening. I’m asymptomatic and feel well, but I was in meetings with two people who had since tested positive. I have encouraged all my colleagues to take the test.”
The governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has also gone into self-isolation and sent his blood sample for COVID-19 test.
His special adviser on media and communication strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, explained in a statement that the governor’s action was because of his contact with Kyari and the governor of Bauchi State.
“The governor has gone into self-isolation after the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, and Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, tested positive for coronavirus,” Osagie stated.
Some other governors who are reported to have been in self-isolation include the governor of Niger State, Mr. Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), and his counterparts in Osun and Nasarawa states, Messrs Gboyega Oyetola and Abdullahi Sule.
Also, the director general of NGF, Mr. Asishana Okauru, said he, his wife and his entire household had gone into self-isolation and would be undergoing coronavirus test.
He said in a statement that the self-isolation was as a result of his exposure to Mohammed.
He also said all members of NGF secretariat that were exposed to the governor during the last NGF meeting would be observing self-isolation.
“All members of NGF secretariat that were exposed will be observing self-isolation. We encourage all those who were invited to the NGF meetings for presentations to also do same. By our actions, we hope to encourage others who are exposed and not sure of their status to undergo self-isolation and make themselves available for the test, where applicable,” he stated.
Osun State commissioner for health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, also confirmed that 20 judges from the state who recently returned from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates were in self-isolation.
He said the judges went into isolation shortly after they arrived in the state pending when their medical status would be ascertained.
