Osun releases 110 Ivorian returnees after 7 days in isolation Some sent to Abia, Imo, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo Discharges index coronavirus case

The Osun State Government on Saturday released from the isolation centre, 110 of the 127 persons that arrived the state from Ivory Coast on March 28.

The returnees were released to join their families, barely one week after they had been isolated in Ejigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has a guideline of 14-day isolation for returning travellers from high risk countries with ongoing community transmission as well as anyone that has been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Addressing reporters in Osogbo yesterday, Governor Gboyega Oyetola explained that the 110 returnees, who were released, had tested negative for coronavirus; and the remaining 17, positive.

The governor said those who tested positive were receiving treatment and were in good condition.

He also disclosed that the index coronavirus case in the state had recovered and been discharged.

Governor Oyetola noted that the 127 returnees were from different parts of the country.

He said Osun State saved Nigeria from a major disaster by ensuring that on their arrival in Nigeria, the returnees were not allowed to go straight to their respective states.

He said: “Upon profiling, we realised that many of the returnees are from different states. For instance, two of them are from Abia State. But we took responsibility and treated all of them.

“It would have been disastrous if the 127 people were allowed to move to their various states and mix with people in their respective communities when they came into the country.

“Of the 127 isolated and tested returnees, 17 tested positive for the virus; while 110 returned negative. Of the 17, we also have persons from other states.

“The 110 whose results came back negative have been released to join their families. Among them are: eleven to Oyo State, two are going to Lagos State, One to Ogun State, three each to Edo and Abia states, four to Delta State and one to Imo State while 85 will remain here in Osun”.

He added that those who tested negative to the virus and released to join their families had been advised to observe all the prescribed safety and preventive measures “and to call our help lines if they start to feel unwell.”

He said one of the infected patients, who earlier absconded from the facility and was later captured, did not mingle with residents.

Oyetola said: “That patient that left our facility in Ejigbo couldn’t infect anyone because the people of the community shut their doors against her. They didn’t allow her to enter their homes. That was why it was easy to apprehend and return her to the treatment facility.”

The spokesman of the governor, Ismail Omipidan, later told our correspondent the returnees travelled from Abidjan by road and had already spent 10 days on the journey before they arrived in Osun

Meanwhile, the governor also said yesterday the lockdown in the state might be extended if necessary, appealing to the people to endure.

He said the 21-member relief committee he set up was working on modalities for the distribution of relief materials to the people of the state.

The governor debunked the rumour that federal government had released N5bn to Osun to manage the COVID-19 crisis, saying “I wish I could have that. But I don’t have it. I’m just hearing about it”.