COVID- 19: STOP TAKING IN VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE OSUN – OYETOLA WARNS CITIZENS

…as state records 2 deaths

The Governor of the State of Osun, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has warned citizens and residents of the State against breaching the COVID-19 lockdown directives aimed at halting the spread of the pandemic in the State.

This followed the report of 12 new confirmed cases in the State after almost a two-week lull without reporting any positive cases, one which brought the State close to achieving containment of the spread.

Governor Oyetola, during a press briefing on Sunday, said that the State did what it needed to do in the fight against the pandemic by responding early and reacting strategically when the situation placed a demand on the government. 

“However, compromise and disobedience by some citizens has brought about a retrogression in the battle against the pandemic,” he said. 

The effect of the compromise, according to Governor Oyetola, is the 12 new confirmed cases recently reported, and two fatalities, both of whom were males with underlying health conditions.

In his words: “the State of Osun made significant progress in the fight against coronavirus in two weeks, having no new confirmed cases and discharging 19 of the 20 successfully without any death. We were on our way to containing the virus, in spite of the galloping figures in other states.

“However, it is saddening that we have recorded 12 new cases in the State, including three of our health workers,  with two fatalities, both of whom were males with underlying health conditions”, the Governor added.

Speaking further about the locations of the newly confirmed cases, Mr Oyetola said that the cases emerged from Ede, Irewole, Ejigbo and Ife Local Government Areas of the State.

Governor Oyetola revealed that: “six of the new detected 12 cases were returnees from negbouring West African country, Benin Republic; two recently returned to the State from Lagos; three had contact with previous confirmed cases; while the remaining one, who was suffering from Tuberculosis, was hurriedly ferried in from Ibadan.

“The cases we have on our hands are simply the consequences of breaching the lockdown directives of the State Government by some citizens of the state”, he added.

He, however, maintained the government was doing everything possible to prevent community transmission, and that it had begun contact tracing across the affected local government areas.

The Governor appealed to residents to stop encouraging their families and friends, who are currently outside of the State of Osun, to return home, as doing so would further endanger the lives of those in the State.

The Governor also urged residents of the State to comply with the lockdown directive of the government as well as other precautionary measures, warning that continued breach of the directive would put the State at risk. 

“Disobedience to the directives of the government will further compromise the health of other citizens. Hence, we are imploring everyone to stop accommodating visitors from outside the State of Osun, to obey the total lockdown directives and to avoid unauthorised or non-essential movements”, the Governor stated.

“Citizens that are currently living outside of the State, are urged to stay put in their current locations until the scourge is over and everything returns to normal”, Mr Oyetola added.

Furthermore, Governor Oyetola appealed to security agents manning the State boundaries to diligently search vehicles coming into the State under the guise of transporting food items, noting that some of them were being used for ferrying people into the State in clear breach of the lockdown.

Mr Oyetola, while acknowledging the economic impact of the lockdown on citizens and the State as a whole, said that “the earlier the State flattens the curve of COVID-19, the sooner it is for our economy to bounce back .

“Let us therefore obey the directives of the government so that we can return to our normal and unrestricted routines in due time”, he added. As a reminder, the Governor said: “let me use this opportunity to remind us all that the laws guiding the operation of this lockdown and the general security of the people are in force and the relevant security agencies are on notice to ensure compliance and the safety and security of the people.”