… Vows to sanction establishment that contravene environmental, sanitation guidelines.

Ekiti State Government on Monday called on individuals that test positive to Covid-19 infection in the State to make themselves available for admission and treatment in the State institutions designated for Covid-19 treatment, saying being a positive patient is not a death sentence if managed early.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr (Mrs) Mojisola Yaya-Kolade stated this in Ado Ekiti during a press briefing on the activities of Covid-19 Taskforce in the State.

Noting recent spike in positive cases of Covid-19 infection in the State, Dr Yaya-Kolade said the refusal of some individuals who had tested positive to show up for medical care put their health and that of their families and the community at great risk.

She revealed that the State currently had 67 active with 15 of the cases on admission adding that the State had enough capacity to admit, manage and treat infected patients.

Speaking on distribution of cases per local government, the Commissioner revealed that Ado Ekiti local government had the highest distribution with about 57% of the total cases. She added that Oye and Ise-Orun had 2% and 7% respectively of the total cases recorded in the State.

According to her; “there has been a little bump in our cases of Covid-19 in Ekiti State compared to what we had in the last four months. “Quite a lot of new cases are coming in for admission since the interstate boundaries shutdown was lifted but we are managing them by supporting their immune system, so that everybody recovers and testing to making sure everybody is negative before they are discharged.
Compared to other states, we are doing well but not withstanding, we will keep an eye on the numbers though our the capacity for admitting patients is still intact.

“I will encourage our people that test positive to make themselves available to be admitted. It makes no sense to be positive and be running to the bush, when you run to the bush you are putting yourself at risk, you are putting your family at risk, you are becoming a public health hazard to yourself and community and you are creating a problem for the State.” She explained.

“We have all heard that Covid-19 is not a death sentence, but it can do significant damage which may lead to death if it is not detected early and properly managed. That is why you need medical care if you test positive.”

On the reopening of Churches, she explained that religious leaders now understand that the stance of government on guidelines for the reopening of worship centers was hinged on the safety and goodwill of the people of the State, noting that some Churches have started to show compliance to those directives.

Meanwhile the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Gbenga Agbeyo, vowed that Government would not hesitate to prosecute any establishment that fails to comply with government guidelines as stipulated in the environmental health and sanitation law of the State.

Agbeyo reiterated that the state government is committed to the protection of lives and properties of its residents especially of the issue of making the state free of Covid-19 infection.

He said: “Government has advised based on guidelines as stipulated in the environmental health and sanitation law of our state and it involves ensuring that the fumigation and the material to be used are handled by registered and lincensed environmental health officer of various local government areas. “We want this to form the basis for the issuance of a certificate of fumigation at no cost by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

“On this note I want to warn our worship centers and private school owners against violating or deviating from the stipulated guidelines for fumigation as government would prosecute any erring establishment that goes against the state modalities,” the Commissioner explained.