Abia State Government says it has traced 200 persons who made contact with the two index COVID-19 cases in the State.
The contacts are presently in isolation, the State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu said in a statement.
Okiyi said the tracing of the contacts covered three Local Government Areas in the state including Ikwuano, Ukwa West and Umuahia North.
“As at Thursday, April 23, 2020, the State Rapid Response Team and medical protocol sub-committee of the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19, in conjunction with the team from Federal Medical Center (FMC), Umuahia, have traced 209 contacts of the two index COVID-19 cases in Abia State.
“All those traced are currently in isolation and under surveillance and a team from World Health Organization (WHO) is providing support,” he said.
The Information Commissioner revealed that both index cases, who are above 70 years with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and left ventricular failure, are stable and receiving care at the FMC isolation centre in Umuahia.
According to him, “one of the patients that were previously supported with oxygen is currently breathing well without any respiratory aid. All the medical personnel involved in the management of the patients and their family members are currently in isolation with samples from some already collected for testing.”
Okiyi said they are presently awaiting results for the suspected case who is resident off Ikot Ekpene Road, Aba, and will inform the public appropriately as soon as the result returns from the NCDC testing facility.
“All Abians and residents are strongly advised to continue to observe all the previously issued guidelines from NCDC and the state inter-ministerial committee, including compulsory use of face masks, regular handwashing with soap under running water, use of hand sanitizers, maintenance of social distancing and avoid leaving their houses except to buy food and drugs.
“We urge our people to ensure that they abide by the existing lockdown order especially at this time of ongoing contact tracing when we do not know who may have been infected as enforcement agencies have also been directed to prosecute defaulters through the mobile courts and in line with the Abia State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020,” he warned.
