COVID-19: Ogun records 59 new positive cases in one week

Gov Dapo Abiodun 

Ogun State has recorded 59 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the last one week.

Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed this on Thursday, while briefing  journalists on the COVID-19 situation report in the state.

The governor said: "Between Thursday, 21 May and  Wednesday, 27 May, 2020, we recorded 59 new positive cases, an increase of 32 %, bringing the total number of positive cases to date to 242.

"We thank God, once again, that in the same period, additional 12 individuals have been successfully treated and discharged from our Treatment Centres, bringing the total discharged cases to 109, leaving us with 133 active cases.

"The 12% increase in the number of successful discharges is a delightful continuation of the trend we have been witnessing. We thank God and appreciate the team of our healthcare providers for this development.

"Sadly, we regret the loss of three people, two of whom were confirmed positive after their death. This brings the total mortality to 9, as against 6 at the last briefing. May God repose the souls of the departed, comfort their families and heal the world.

"We have continued our community screening and testing. And our testing capacity has been further boosted during the week.

"The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has accredited our Molecular Laboratory in Sagamu, the first State Government fully funded Molecular Laboratory in the country. With our mobile laboratory, also the first of its kind in Nigeria, which has been in use for weeks, we now have a combined daily testing capacity of about 650. To put into context our effort so far, we have screened about 10,900 people out of which we have tested 1,562 placing us number 4th in the country in number of tests conducted, out of which 242 have turned out positive".

Great Achiever Magazine reports that Governor Abiodun said monitoring of the compliance level of the people with the COVID-19 guidelines is still very much under focus, as this is still an issue of great concern.

The governor explained that adherence to the guidelines is still the most potent safeguard humanity has to confront the invisible enemy.

He said the indication of the level of compliance is illustrated with the number of violations recorded.

According to him: "235 violators were arrested and prosecuted at the mobile courts, while 64 vehicles were impounded for various offences including interstate travel and defiance of the curfew order.

"Our law enforcement agents are, once again, commended for their commitment to duty in enforcing the guidelines. But let me emphasise again that compliance with the guidelines is not just a moral responsibility and civic duty, it is much more.

Abiodun said people should realise that compliance has a direct bearing with their own safety and that of their loved ones, and this should not be seen as a favour to the State, but rather, it is something that directly safeguards the individual.

Meanwhile, the governor said the distribution of palliative items is on-going and no effort will be spared to ensure most vulnerable citizens are supported and protected during this difficult time.