•Ondo index case tests negative

By Dayo Johnson & Rotimi Ojomoyela

ADO-EKITI—Ekiti State Government, yesterday, revealed that the 29-year-old woman, who tested positive for the COVID-19, last Friday, is stabilizing and responding to treatment.

Addressing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, the Health Commissioner, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said the patient is gradually coming out of a coma.

Yaya-Kolade said: “The news of the third case was broken by Mr. governor, on Saturday. She went into Coma before being referred to a teaching hospital. I want to tell you that she is improving. As of now, she is stabilising and responding to treatment.”

She also disclosed that about 73 people that had contacts with the patient had been identified through aggressive contact tracing that was done by the government.

“Out of the 73, we have traced 70 of them and they are currently being monitored. We have advised them to embark on self-isolation for 14 days while the secondary contacts are being traced with the aid of our district surveillance officers”, she said.

Ondo index case tests negative

Similarly, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, yesterday, disclosed that the military officer, who was the first index case of the COVID-19 in the state has tested negative.

The military officer returned from India on April 4th and went into self-isolation until the military authorities notified the state government and the test conducted on him showed positive.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Taraba expresses fear over continuous interstate trade with Kano

He was, thereafter, moved to the state Infectious Disease Hospital where he was until he tested negative.

He said “What this means is that the first patient of the fatal infection is now completely healed and free to go home, indeed free to resume his normal life in service to our country.

“On Friday, April 17th, 2020, I received the cheering news from our Commissioner for Health and Chairman Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID– 19, that our first and index case of Coronavirus infection in the state has tested negative after treatment.

“He is a soldier who served his fatherland and was diagnosed with the infection upon return to Nigeria from an international assignment in India.

“It is important to inform us all that upon presenting with the symptoms of the infection while in isolation, the first sample from this Army officer was taken at the Nigerian Army Barracks, Akure on the 2nd of April 2020 and sent for test to ascertain his status.

“The result came out positive on the 3rd of April and he was immediately admitted into the Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, at Igbatoro road Akure. He was on admission to the hospital where he received the very best care at the state’s disposal until we noticed a better improvement in his health.

“Due to the two consecutive negative results and his stable clinical condition, the patient is, hereby, declared fit for discharge. This is in line with the standard COVID-19 patient discharge criteria.”

Vanguard