A couple and their three-year-old child have tested positive for the coronavirus disease in Ebonyi State.
The state governor, Mr. David Umahi who disclosed this in a broadcast yesterday said the infant was among the eight confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state
He added that the child’s parents were the sixth and seventh cases reported.
Umahi described the situation as ‘sympathetic’, adding that the government was grappling with ways of managing the victim’s sibling.
He said the one and half year old sibling tested negative.
“The child is still being breastfed and doctors have appealed to her parents to isolate her so that she does not get infected.
“The state government has pledged to cater for the child. We urge her parents to provide a child care giver or we provide one to take care of her.
“They have however, held on to the child and we view through Close Circuit Television (CCTV) how they pull her clothes and breast-feed her.
“I want doctors to make inquiries on what to do on the matter and we will do it even by force,” Umahi said.
Thereafter, the governor said state had discharged majority of the suspected COVID-19 cases after they tested negative.
“We have tested 818 persons mostly from Ebonyi and other states from the south east and south-south zones and 396 tested negative while we issued them discharge certificates.
“378 suspected cases which tested negative were treated of other symptoms such as cough and released to go home,” he said.
He said 55 returnees from other states were being quarantined at the state’s main centre in Abakaliki with 37 of them awaiting results of their tests.
The governor urged traditional rulers and other stakeholders in communities to enlighten their people living outside the state not to return within this period.
“There have been requests from our people in Lagos, Abuja and other areas for palliatives but we cannot release such to everybody presently.
“The problem is that when you give to one area, others will request for theirs but we can only release palliatives to our people in Lagos and Abuja presently.
“We will release 2,000 bags of 5kg rice and N5 million to those in Abuja and 4,000 bags of 5kg rice with N10 million to those in Lagos,” he said.
He advised the people to continue observing all the COVID-19 precautionary measures and especially consume ‘Madagascar syrup’ made of lemon, ginger and garlic.
“We have in this period of forgiveness, pardoned all political office holders suspended or placed on half salary over negligence of anti-COVID- 19 enforcement duties.
“We have also pardoned all persons awaiting trial for violating various COVID-19 precautionary regulations; released all vehicles and motorcycles impounded for similar offences,” he said.
