From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
The Chairman of Imo State COVID-19 Task Force, Prof. Maurice Iwu, has expressed concern over rising cases of coronavirus in the state and called for holistic approach to combating the scourge.
Iwu made the disclosure in Owerri on Wednesday at the weekly COVID-19 briefing with newsmen.
He said with this development, Imo residents needed to re-access their stance on the existence of the virus in the state and continue to maintain the precautionary measures by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The chairman urged them to maintain the protocol of hand washing with soap and water, mask wearing and maintaining of physical distancing in line with Governor Hope Uzodimma’s state broadcast last week Thursday.
He said the virus was unprecedentedly spreading with a cumulative positive reality of 1,461 cases, the highest in the state so far.
According to Iwu, of this number, 247 cases came out positive, 1,214 negative, 16 persons are in isolation at WODDI centre, while 45 are on self-isolation with 20 discharged.
He noted that the state had lost three persons already to the pandemic, hence the need to abide by the governor’s desire that restrictions on movement from 8pm to 6am be maintained with inter-state travel ban still enforce.
He said that two local governments in the state are contracting the diseases more than others.
The task force chairman said the police, civil defence and other security agencies would help to enforce compliance on the governor’s directives.
