The coronavirus (COVID-19) confirmed cases in Edo state has reached 518 as at Saturday afternoon while 27 deaths have been recorded.
Governor Godwin Obaseki who disclosed this to journalists at the weekend however said 130 persons have recovered from the virus and now discharged from treatment after they tested negative.
He expressed displeasure Governor Obaseki expressed displeasure that although the state has comfortable facilities that can care for up to 500 people, some persons are refusing to isolate and receive treatment in these facilities.
Obaseki said: “When you isolate at home, there is a higher likelihood that other people will be infected especially our elderly parents and grandparents further perpetuating community transmissions and spread with grave public health implications.
“We frown against this selfish behaviour and henceforth, we will be publishing a list of persons who refuse to isolate in our isolation and treatment centres.”
The governor harped on the need to protect the elderly and persons with underlined ailment adding that they are vulnerable and most affected by the COVID-19 in the State.
According to him, “Even though persons who are aged 60 and above make up only five percent of our population, over 50 percent of the deaths recorded so far affects this category of people.
“And as a government, we are concerned about the exposure of the elderly population to this disease and we have resolved that these vulnerable people must be protected”.
He disclosed that efforts are on to intensify protective measures such as wearing of face mask, hand washing and social distancing very strictly.
The governor explained that the State decided to screen 500,000 persons and test 5,000 following hint from the State epidemiologists with the assistance of the university of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) that the pandemic would peak in Edo by end of June.
Obaseki stated that the screening and testing exercise was hinged on the hope that the information gathered will help in tailor government response to the pandemic.
He said: “as at today, we have screened 4,404 and tested 4,344 Edo residents for COVID-19 and from this exercise, we have recorded 518 confirmed cases, 130 recoveries and 27 deaths.”
