187 Enugu physicians, 15 NYSC members hit by COVID- 19 – Commissioner
NYSC Corps members
Assures readiness to contain influx of holiday makers at Yuletide
From CHUKS EZE, Enugu
A total of 1,372 confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID- 19), has been reported in Enugu state since the outbreak of the dreaded pandemic in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Obi, who disclosed this during a press conference in Enugu also informed that among the cases were 187 health workers and 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He pointed out that while a total of 1,321 confirmed cases had been successfully treated and discharged from various Isolation and Treatment Centres in the state, adding that 21 confirmed COVID- 19 related deaths had also been reported while the number of active confirmed cases stood at 30.
Although Dr Obi did not specify the number of health workers that are among the active, treated or deceased cases but he pointed out that all the 15 NYSC cases are active owing to the newly reopened orientation camps across the country.
Dr Obi told journalists that the session organized to update them on the current status of the pandemic in the state, on government’s efforts in tackling the menace and to remind citizens that the highly infectious disease was still in place and wrecking havocs.
“As at December 16, (2020), we had a total of 9,591 reported COVID- 19 cases; with steady reports of cases from 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“We collected over 7,484 samples and we now have at least a sample collection centre in every LGA plus extra seven centres that were donated to us by the UNICEF,” the Commissioner added.
Flanked by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Ifeanyi Agujiobi, representative of the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugu Chidi Aroh, and other senior officers, Dr Obi reiterated that all the official COVID- 19 protocols were still in place and urged residents to continue to stay safe by observing them strictly such as wearing of face mask, observing social distancing and regular washing of hand with water and detergent, among others.
On the expected influx of citizens and holiday makers during the yuletide, the commissioner assured that adequate arrangements had been made to contain such development, adding, “We have strong arrangement in place to take care of those coming in for Christmas, both through the air and land transport.
“We also have rapid response teams in all LGAs, and our contact tracers are always at alert to move in and trace patient’s contacts, accordingly.
The commissioner applauded Governor Ugwuanyi, for his administration’s ceaseless commitment and huge investments in the health sector and general war against the pandemic.
He noted that although the pandemic had inflicted massive economic and other burdens on the state government, but that the government never relented in continued scaling up of general health infrastructure for case management.
“Ambulances were bought, contracts were given for renovation, upgrade or building of new health facilities, respectively, just as funds were provided for the purchase of the best Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other critical materials.
“A full-fledged tertiary hospital is also being built at Igbo-Ano, with college of medicine facilities; implying that the training of health practitioners is also being looked into by the Ugwuanyi administration so as to make the standard of training of healthcare professionals in the state topnotch,” he said.
