Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has hinted of possible extension of the lockdown imposed on the Ekiti, as the state recorded the third case of Coronavirus.
The apparently enraged governor blamed security laxity and people’s infidelity for the new case.
Fayemi, who made this known at a press briefing in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, said the government was left with no option than to consider the extension of the lockdown beyond April 27, 2020.
“Sadly, Ekiti State has confirmed a third COVID-19 positive case. This new case is a pregnant 29-year-old female community health worker with Lagos State, who sneaked into Ekiti State in spite of the lockdown.
“She presented herself at a State Comprehensive Primary Healthcare facility in active labour on Monday April 13, 2020. After a prolonged labour with fatal distress, she was referred to a teaching hospital, but decided to go to a private hospital instead.
“A caesarean section was performed on the patient and the baby was delivered safely. However, she suffered a cardiac arrest and was referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, where she is currently unconscious.
“The suspicion of COVID-19 infection and subsequent testing was at the federal tertiary institution,” Fayemi explained.
“Government may have to consider further extension of the lockdown at least until all possible direct and indirect contacts of this woman have been traced and placed in self-isolation as minimum period of incubation is 14 days for every new infection,” he added.
The governor recalled: “The state recorded its first confirmed index case of Coronavirus or COVID-19 on March 15, 2020 and he was treated and discharged on March 31, 2020.
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“Barely 24 hours after the first index case was discharged, the state recorded its second case. He was also discharged on Tuesday, April 9, 2020 after treatment.
“The Ekiti State COVID-19 Taskforce has already commenced contact tracing of the new case. As at this morning, we have over 30 primary contacts on our list already. The baby is alive and under surveillance, while the private clinic has been sealed off and medical personnel who interacted with this case during her obstetrics and gynaecology emergency have been contacted and put in self-isolation.
“By the time we include secondary and tertiary contacts, this one case may have put hundreds of unsuspecting people at risk of COVID-19 infection in Ekiti State.
“As at today, Ekiti State has had 29 suspected cases, two confirmed cases, and 49 contact tracing persons of interest before this new case. Thankfully, all the contacts traced have not shown any symptoms of infection.
“This unfortunate incident underscores the reasoning behind our emphasis on protecting Ekiti State from an outbreak of the pandemic by my directive of total lockdown of movement.
“The infidelity of our people and the security personnel enabled this patient to gain access to our state, even during boundary shutdown, thereby putting the lives of so many people at risk and putting Ekiti State under the dreaded possibility of community infection due to this new case.
“The state government is being proactive to curtail the spread of the virus in the state. You are all aware that since the first signs of the Coronavirus in Nigeria, Ekiti State government started planning preventive, containment and curative measures in the event of an infection.
“We have mobilised instruments and resources to confront what has now become both a health emergency and an economic crisis.”
