Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has ordered the closure of public and private schools including tertiary institutions in the state as part of measure of preventing the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Governor Bello in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, Friday in Lokoja, also banned gathering involving more than 30 people as part of preventive measures against the pandemic.
The statement said the closure of schools and ban on public gathering takes effect from Monday, March 23, 2020, adding that the measures became imperative given the strategic location of the state as transit point for travellers.
Governor Bello urged residents to be cautious and observe high level personal hygiene including regular washing of hands with soap and use hand sanitizers as well as observing of social distancing.
The state government has also set up an isolation centre in Lokoja, even as an emergency response team has been constituted too.
According to the statement, the state government was leveraging on the existing house-to-house Lassa fever campaign to take the message of COVID-19 to the grassroots.
The government also provided the following emergency telephone numbers for rapid response: 08064469625, 07067918835, 08030607102, 08034732988, and 08076288933.
