Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, on Saturday, April 18, has confirmed a fresh positive case of Coronavirus, bringing to three the number of confirmed cases so far identified in the state.
Fayemi disclosed that the third COVID-19 index case in the state, who is a pregnant 29-year-old female Community Health Worker with Lagos State, sneaked into Ekiti in spite of the lockdown and closure of the borders.
The governor made this disclosure on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti, while updating the state on the spread and challenge of COVID-19 and how far his government has gone in stemming the spread of the dreaded pandemic.
Fayemi who lamented the alleged infidelity of security agencies at the borders, which he said was responsible for why the woman gained access to Ekiti during a lockdown.
He directed the security agencies to em place watertight security at Ekiti entry point to restrict influx of people to the state.
“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. 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.
Fayemi said this unfortunate incident underscores the reasoning behind state’s emphasis on protecting Ekiti from an outbreak of the pandemic by his directive of total lockdown on the state.
“The infidelity of our people and the security personnel enabled this patient to gain access to our state even during a boundary shut down, therefore 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, 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”.
The governor added that his team is already working tirelessly to increase the bed space of our isolation centre from 10 to 120 beds in case of an exponential outbreak.
Fayemi said his brother governors from the southwest had held a joint meeting on the need to close down the borders and stop inter state transportation, saying this will be effected with zeal.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State, Mr Asuquo Amba, said any police or security agent caught compromising the lockdown directive will be made to face the full weight of the law.
“We are going to increase our patrol and surveillance at the borders. Any of our officers and men who behave in unprofessional way will be held accountable for his actions”, he threatened.
