Following two confirmed cases of COVID 19 in Abia state, the state Governor government says it has commenced contact tracing to identify, test and quarantine all possible cases to avert further spread of the disease.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu disclosed this while briefing Journalists, Tuesday,at Government House Umuahia.
He harped on the need for citizens and residents of the State to adhere to the directives of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 on the sit at home order and compulsory use of nose masks to avoid further spread of the virus.
Ikpeazu who revealed that the two index cases who are septuagenarians aged 70 and 72 years of age,hail from Ukwa West and Umuahia North respectively,also expressed optimism that the medical personnels in the State will live up to expection.
He further stated that the contact tracing will cover three Local Government Areas in the State namely: Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Ukwa West.
The Governor directed the closure of the private clinic in Umuahia where one of the patients was initially admitted and its health practitioners quarantined.
Governor Ikpeazu hinted that the State had before hand prepared for any eventuality in the State through the provision of two (2) isolation centers in Aba and Umuahia with a capacity of fifty (50) patients and is collaborating with the National Center for Disease Control for the training of health practitioners and the provision of six (6)ambulances in the State for picking up of patients in the case of the outbreak of the pandemic in the State.
The State Chief Executive charged all security personnels to double up efforts and work hand in hand with local vigilantes to ensure that all borders must remain closed.
He also stated that the State Government will treat as a sabotage any individual(s) who fail to take necessary precautions such as wearing of nose mask and use of hand sanitizers as they have become compulsory for use in the State saying that offenders will be duly prosecuted by the mobile court.
The Governor stated the government will not support any form of extra judicial killings and further warned citizens to refrain from involving in any form of altercations with security officers,assuring that all cases of murder by trigger-happy officers will be brought to book.
