….says patients among 127 Ivory Coast returnees, solicits FG’s support

The State of Osun has recorded 9 new cases of Coronavirus, which raised the total number of confirmed cases in the State to 14. 

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ismail Omipidan disclosed that the new cases are among returnees from Ivory Coast, who came into the State last week.

According to them, the returnees are from Osun, Anambra, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo and other States but whose destination was Osun. They were 127 and were conveyed to the State in 6 buses from Ogun-Osun border and taken directly to an isolation centre in Ejigbo to prevent communal mixing.

The duo made it clear that 24 samples were initially sent for test and 3 returned positive before the second batch of 47 samples were sent for test with 9 returning positive. They added that the rest are undergoing test.

Dr Isamotu and Mr Omipidan, however, assured the people of the State that the Government was on top of the situation as all necessary cautions had been taken to prevent spread of the disease.

They sought further cooperation of the people in staying at home to nip the mobility of the virus in the bud as it becomes ineffective when all movements stop. Omipidan disclosed that the state at present, has three isolation centres, with two in Osogbo and the other in Ile-Ife. He however, solicited the support of the Federal government for the State in its fight against the virus.

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The Osun State Police Command has arrested a middle-aged man in Osogbo for impersonating the State Government to swindle unsuspecting citizens of the state under the guise of providing social relief during the stay-at-home period. 

This follows a public service announcement from the State Government of Osun, warning its citizens to beware of criminally-minded people who are demanding for personal and security details in exchange for money and relief materials. 

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Osun on Security, Mrs Abiodun Ige, said the suspect collected the Voter’s Card of some people in Olorunda Local Government Area, with the assurance that they would receive the sum of N10,000 (Ten Thousand Naira ) each through an unnamed  Non-Governmental Organisation.

Ige said that some of the people whose cards have been collected have already been contacted and intimated of the government’s position on the matter.  She added that the police have launched an investigation to track down the suspect’s accomplices.   Meanwhile, the State’s Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation has revved up its awareness drive that the State Government of Osun is not asking anyone for his/her personal security details in exchange for money during this stay-at-home period.

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The Honourable Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Hon. (Dr.) Olawale Babatunde Olumide in his effort towards Covid-19 sensitization has directed all Directors in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology to report at the State Emergency Call Center today 27^th of March 2020. This exercise was aimed at assisting the Call Agents in attending to numerous calls bombarding the center via 293.

It was recalled that Hon. (Dr.) Olawale Babatunde Olumide visited the call center earlier this week, and observed that the center has been a great instrument of awareness, as people call from different locations across the country to make enquiries on Covid-19 Pandemic, its symptoms and prevention via the State of Osun Emergency Toll-free line 293. As well as reporting suspected cases.

“As it has been known that the deadly Covid-19 Pandemic has no cure when it goes severe, the only way to help people to be safe is to get them informed,” He said.

One of the Call agent representative, beseech the government to help them in recruiting more staffs so as to enhance the operation. He also emphasized on the need to upgrade the center in other to improve the quality of service delivery and identify opportunities of revenue generation.  The Honourable Commissioner promised to forward their request to the state government, and also enjoined them to be proactive in their duties.

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The government of the State of Osun, on Thursday announced the closure of major markets with effect from Friday, March 27, while also limiting the boarding capacity of vehicles operating within the State as part of the ongoing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the State.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, the government announced that all markets in the State, including Orisumbare, Ajegunle spare part market and Ayegbaju market will be shut with effect from tomorrow, Friday.

The statement further announced that all shopping malls will also be shut, except for their pharmaceutical, foods and medical needs outlets.

Speaking on transportation within the State, the SSG said: “all motorcycles henceforth will carry only one passenger, while all mini buses will carry only four passengers with one passenger in front, one in the middle and two at the back seat”.

The statement also announced the closure of the land borders into the State with effect from Saturday, 28th March. In another development, the government advised all returnees from the United Kingdom, the United States of America and other countries marked as high risk countries, who returned to the State of Osun in the last two weeks, to call the State’s emergency number – 293 – for instructions on how to stay safe.

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…..reiterates readiness to curtail the menace

The Osun State Government says the first and only confirmed case of Coronavirus in the State is in stable condition and responding positively to treatment. 
The government said the State medical personnel have been handling and managing the case professionally and that no severe symptoms had been traced to the patient. 
Deputy Governor, Mr Benedict Alabi, disclosed this on Thursday shortly after the meeting of the State Government Technical Committee on COVID-19, at the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo.
He noted that the patient has been helping in easing the job of the medical personnel as he personally surrendered himself for treatment even before his health status was confirmed.
Alabi who commended the patient for the high level of understanding and cooperation he has exhibited, said his action had assisted the state to implement its guiding principles against the deadly disease.
The deputy governor said the government had gathered useful information that would assist in contract tracing of persons that might have come in contact with the confirmed case. 
According to him, the state government had stepped up its guiding principles and control measures to curb the spread of the disease. He added that health workers have been put on their toes for optimum performance at the present critical moment. 
Alabi furrher said the government had equipped and strengthened the capacity of the Isolation Centre at the State Specialist Hospital, to handle suspected or confirmed cases. 
“Yesterday Mr Governor announced the confirmation of an index case of the Coronavirus and to this end, we have begun to be more proactive in combating the menace.
“We are working round the clock to strengthen our protocol and ensure that our guiding principles are tailored towards achieving the set objectives.
“On the confirmed case, no doubt the patient is responding to treatment and he is in stable condition. We have done the needful. He has been isolated to a place where adequate treatment will be given to avoid the escalation of the disease”, the Deputy Governor stressed.
In his reaction, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, said the medical personnel had been tasked to double their efforts in curtailing the spread of the pandemic in Osun. 

Isamotu added that the specialist hospital had been restructured for emergency cases, while cold cases would be treated in some of the other health facilities across the state.
“The State Isolation Center is absolutely secured. Presently, we are not attending to cold cases but emergencies as a sign of seriousness that we attached to the pandemic. We have equally warned the people who do not have anything to do to stay off the hospital. 
“And as part of our commitment to contain this disease, the state government has set up taskforce to man all the state land borders and conduct preliminary screening.
“We have also begun massive sensitisation exercise against the pandemic across the nooks and crannies of the state while the residents had equally been earned to refrain from embracing and hugging one another,” Isamotu added.

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….reiterates readiness to curtail the menace

The Osun State Government says the first and only confirmed case of Coronavirus in the State is in stable condition and responding positively to treatment. 
The government said the State medical personnel have been handling and managing the case professionally and that no severe symptoms had been traced to the patient. 
Deputy Governor, Mr Benedict Alabi, disclosed this on Thursday shortly after the meeting of the State Government Technical Committee on COVID-19, at the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo.
He noted that the patient has been helping in easing the job of the medical personnel as he personally surrendered himself for treatment even before his health status was confirmed.
Alabi who commended the patient for the high level of understanding and cooperation he has exhibited, said his action had assisted the state to implement its guiding principles against the deadly disease.
The deputy governor said the government had gathered useful information that would assist in contract tracing of persons that might have come in contact with the confirmed case. 
According to him, the state government had stepped up its guiding principles and control measures to curb the spread of the disease. He added that health workers have been put on their toes for optimum performance at the present critical moment. 
Alabi furrher said the government had equipped and strengthened the capacity of the Isolation Centre at the State Specialist Hospital, to handle suspected or confirmed cases. 
“Yesterday Mr Governor announced the confirmation of an index case of the Coronavirus and to this end, we have begun to be more proactive in combating the menace.
“We are working round the clock to strengthen our protocol and ensure that our guiding principles are tailored towards achieving the set objectives.
“On the confirmed case, no doubt the patient is responding to treatment and he is in stable condition. We have done the needful. He has been isolated to a place where adequate treatment will be given to avoid the escalation of the disease”, the Deputy Governor stressed.
In his reaction, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, said the medical personnel had been tasked to double their efforts in curtailing the spread of the pandemic in Osun. 

Isamotu added that the specialist hospital had been restructured for emergency cases, while cold cases would be treated in some of the other health facilities across the state.
“The State Isolation Center is absolutely secured. Presently, we are not attending to cold cases but emergencies as a sign of seriousness that we attached to the pandemic. We have equally warned the people who do not have anything to do to stay off the hospital. 
“And as part of our commitment to contain this disease, the state government has set up taskforce to man all the state land borders and conduct preliminary screening.
“We have also begun massive sensitisation exercise against the pandemic across the nooks and crannies of the state while the residents had equally been earned to refrain from embracing and hugging one another,” Isamotu added.

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The State government of Osun, today, announced that all public gatherings in the state under any banner or organisation, are banned. This in effect means there will be no church services tomorrow, March 22, 2020.

This is in reaction to the increasing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infected individuals, and its gradual spread to other States of the country.

The State Government of Osun had initially announced a ban on public gatherings having 50 or more people, but today reviewed the position following the announcement of more confirmed cases by the Federal Ministry of Health.

SIGNED
Prince Wole Oyebamiji
SSG

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved the production of Chloroquine for clinical trial in the search for a cure for COVID-19.

The Director-General of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye, made the announcement on Friday at the NAFDAC Headquarters in Lagos, according to a report monitored on Channels Television.

Adeyeye pointed out that NAFDAC is not approving Chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 but for clinical trials to find treatment for the virus.

Channels TV, quoting Adeyeye, reported that “NAFDAC is not approving Chloroquine as a product that can be used for Coronavirus because there is no submission to is for registration but because it is under clinical trials, NAFDAC APPROVES medicines meant for clinical trials”.

Adeyeye called on experts and researchers that are interested in doing a clinical trial on Chloroquine to approach approved outlets.

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The Government of the State of Osun has described as unfortunate and avoidable, the face-off between the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed and Oba Dhikrulahi Akinropo, Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa town, during a peace meeting at the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of zone 11, Bashir Makama last Friday.  

The government said it is aware that the State Traditional Council is looking into the matter.  It further stated that traditional rulers ought to protect and preserve the sacredness of traditional institutions. In a statement signed on Monday by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode,  the government further noted that situations where royal fathers engage in public display of temperament do not edify the revered stools of our forebears.  

“We believe in the dignity of traditional stools and sacredness of royalty. We will continue to preach peace among all our citizens and harmonious relationship among our traditional rulers.  “Government is aware that the State Council of Traditional Rulers has stepped into the matter and we are confident that the council will take appropriate steps to preserve peaceful coexistence among the Obas in the state. We do not want any crisis in any part of the State,” the government added.

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