The Ekiti State Government has said that it would carry out 100,000 tests for coronavirus in the state before the end of June.
This is according to the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kayode Fayemi on Public Affairs, Chief Niyi Ojo, on Wednesday. He said the State Government was prepared to test 100, 000 residents for COVID-19 to ensure early detection of the virus in the state.
Ojo further added that the current low number of COVID-19 cases was due to the early preparations the state put in place to forestall the spread of the virus. He also attributed the efforts of security agencies who made sure the disease was not smuggled into the state through unsuspecting travellers.
The Special Assistant to the Governor made this known via an online interaction in Ado-Ekiti, said, “Before June, the government would have tested more than 100,000 indigenes. A testing centre will be opened soon in Ekiti.
“Ekiti State has been very proactive, hence the low figures of infected persons due to high sensitising on the pandemic. We are prepared for eventualities.
“We have been able to stem the tide if not for unscrupulous elements in the security arms that compromised their lines of duty. We only need to appeal to our security agents to be alive to their responsibilities,” he said.
Buttressing the points made by Chief Niyi Ojo, the National Public Relations Officer, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr Abidemi Omonisi, advised Nigerians to keep it safe at all times so as not to contract the disease.
Omonisi said, “From the various medical indicators, the virus is here with us for now. We are still not at the peak yet. Let’s continue to stay safe. COVID- 19 is very real.”
“However, we must give kudos to Lagos and Ekiti states for being pragmatic in combating the pandemic. Ekiti State Task Force on COVID- 19 was constituted when there was no single outbreak in the state. This is commendable.
“Nigeria as a country started her various preparations late. I guess our leaders initially thought the outbreak would not reach the country. However, diseases do not respect international boundaries. PTF was constituted very late. Training of health workers started in March at the federal level after the index case in the country,” he said.