The Ekiti State Government has announced its plans to commence random test of residents across all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state next week.
Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, the State’s Commissioner for Health, made this disclosure in Ado Ekiti at a news conference by the State COVID-19 Task Force Committee on Wednesday.
According to the health commissioner, the exercise was to avert likelihood of community spread of the pandemic in the state.
She noted that the random test, which would be done across every nook and cranny, must be undertaken in view of the geometric increase in the number of COVID-19 victims.
Yaya-Kolade clarified that this did not mean the testing would be done by coercion, but through adequate sensitisation.
In addition, the commissioner said that the state would soon set up a molecular laboratory to boost the state’s testing capacity so that many people could now ascertain their status and be aware of their safety.
She said: “We will begin random testing next week to stop community spread. The state is also doing a lot of infection prevention training for our health workers to make our people safe.
“Those coming into the state illegally through the borders should therefore stay away in their own interest and to avoid the consequences of running foul of government’s arrangements and rules.
“We are also thinking about complying with the new NCDC regulation that you can discharge after first negative, if you are overburdened with patients.
“But we are going to be cautious in applying this.
“Those coming into the state illegally through the borders should therefore stay away in their own interest and to avoid the consequences of running foul of government’s arrangements and rules.
“They are not wanted here because many of the cases we have had were brought from outside.”
She stated that the state presently had only five patients in the isolation centre who she said were stable and responding to treatment as well as asymptomatic.
“We are still tracing some contacts and we are expecting our molecular laboratory soon just as we are still preaching prevention and containment through usage of masks and keeping to personal hygiene and social distancing,” the commissioner added.
The commissioner further said that all claims by individuals and institutions that they had produced a herbal cure for COVID-19 must be scrutinised and made to pass through medical screening before approval.
Also speaking, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, the Coordinator of the task force and Director General, Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery, said the new measures, especially strict border closure, had become the best alternative.
Another member of the task force and Commissioner for Environment, Mr Gbenga Agbeyo, said the state had put up proper machinery to arrest and prosecute violators of the lockdown in Ekiti, particularly those flouting the closure of major markets and border areas.
He disclosed that another round of fumigation would commence on Thursday in Ado Ekiti before proceeding to the remaining 15 council areas.
