Gbenro Adesina
Acting chairman of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, Prof. Temitope Alonge yesterday said that efforts of the state government at curbing the spread of the virus are yielding results adding that due to the efforts of the Task Force, cases of infection are not on the rise in the state.
Alonge, who stated this while addressing newsmen at the newly completed Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, Ibadan, said that the state was flagging off the training of 100 health workers and volunteers to man strategic sections of the Olodo Centre on Saturday.
He made the disclosure on the heels of the growing interests by well-meaning individuals and companies to donate to the fight of covid-19.
Alonge, who received a delegation of Zard Holdings at the Olodo Centre appreciated the company for making huge donations to the state in aid of its efforts to combat COVID-19.
Speaking on the number of cases in the state, Alonge said that the list of infected people in the state stands at eight, with one person discharged and two others doing exceptionally well.
He also stated that two infected persons are awaiting re-testing before they could be declared negative publicly, while the remaining five infected persons were also doing well and responding to treatment.
In his speech, the Group Property Manager of Zard Holdings, Prince Taiwo Oriowo, said the organisation comprising Zartech, Sweetco and Kopek construction companies would join hand with the government to stop the spread of the virus.
He said that the donated items cost the organisations about N20million, stressing that nothing is too much to give back to the society.
Among the items donated are 100 hospital beds, pillows, mattresses, bedside lockers and drip stands among others.
Another key contributor to Oyo State was the Central Abbattoir, Ibadan, which also donated hospital beds, mattresses and other items worth N15million Naira.
Mr. Oladayo Oladipo, who represented the company, said that the management of his firm was concerned about the scourge of coronavirus, adding that it had to present its contributions to help the state fight the spread of the virus.
Speaking on the contact tracing, Alonge said, “As at yesterday, we are tracking close to 140 people and the concept is not to track them and ask them to leave their homes. The level of contact is variable. If I am speaking to you from about three to four metres, that is not a contact because I am not sneezing into the air. That level of contact is so low that we are not going to begin to test you. But, if I am sleeping in the same bed with my wife and I have tested positive, that is close contact and that kind of person can be monitored and quarantined. If there is no symptoms, we wouldn’t belabour the issue”.
