Coronavirus: Oyo to produce one million face masks as UCH doctor tests positive

By Admin

The Oyo State Government says it has concluded arrangements for local production of one million face masks for the people of the State even as it confirmed another case of Coronavirus in the State on Saturday.

Governor Seyi Makinde announced the developments in Ibadan, the State capital on Saturday.

The Government wants to introduce compulsory use of face masks in public in a State with a population of 5,580,894, according to the 2006 population census.

Mr. Makinde said that the new confirmed case is a medical doctor at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan.

In a related development, the UCH said that the Chairman of its Board of Management, Ibrahim Shettima, has tested negative to the disease, three weeks after earlier testing positive.

Mr. Makinde said that the medical doctor has been taken into isolation while contact tracing has commenced in respect of the case.

Oyo State now has eight active cases of Coronavirus.

Mr. Makinde said that the State Government would commission 100 tailors to produce the one million face masks.

“As I stated in an earlier interview, one of the measures we considered to prevent, contain and control the spread of COVID-19 in Oyo State is the compulsory use of face masks in the public. We reached a decision to implement this measure. What we are saying is, if you must leave your house and come to any public place, you must wear face mask."

“We know that we are in a very tough economic environment right now. So, what Oyo State Government wants to do is to produce an initial one million face masks to kick start masks in public place policy in Oyo State. What we have also done is to link up with the artisans; 100 of the tailors will be commissioned by Monday, 20th of April, to make 10,000 face masks each."

“We are collaborating with experts who have already designed these face masks to train the tailors on how to make them. They will also employ some more tailors to join them so that they can, on a daily basis, produce 2,000 face masks, so that within the week, they can hit the 10,000 target.”

The Governor said that the ongoing massive Drive-Through/Walk-Through Testing at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, was already yielding results. He said the test would provide the State Government a scientific base to understand the behaviour of the virus in the State.

He said that with four new cases confirmed from the tests, the State would be in a position to understand the pattern of the virus and come up with matching measures to contain it.

Mr. Makinde also announced a postponement by one week of the resumption of workers at the State Secretariat from April 20 to April 27.

On the new confirmed case, he said: “The COVID-19 confirmation test for one suspected case, a doctor at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, came back POSITIVE, today. Isolation and contact tracing have commenced. So, there are currently eight active cases in Oyo State."

“We invite the following categories of people who have not already done so, to register with the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 / 08095863000 / 08078288999 / 08078288800, for the ongoing drive through/walk through testing at Adamasingba Stadium;

People who believe they could have come into contact with a COVID-19 case in Oyo State; People who returned to Nigeria from abroad within the last one month and their contacts;

Please, keep following the directives of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force. Wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, regularly. Also, continue to maintain social distancing. Gatherings in Oyo State are limited to a maximum of 10 persons.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board of Management of UCH, Mr. Shettima, was on Sunday confirmed to have tested negative for coronavirus, three weeks after he tested positive.

Following his earlier test result, Mr. Shettima was quarantined for three weeks.

But the spokesperson of the hospital, Toye Akinrinlola, on Sunday, announced that two further tests on Mr. Shettima have returned negative.

“I have the pleasure to announce that after three weeks of being in quarantine, the Chairman of the Board of Management of the University College Hospital (UCH) , Ibadan, Alhaji Shettima Ibrahim Bako Bagudu, has tested negative to the Coronavirus (COVID 19),” Mr. Akinrinlola said in a statement.

“Two tests were carried out on him and both returned negative. With this, he now has a clean bill of health."

“The Chairman, Alhaji Shettima has urged Nigerians to observe the guidelines laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)."

“He thanked the UCH community for their support and encouragement during the trying period. He also expressed his appreciation to the CMD, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, the Management of the Hospital and all the medical personnel that attended to him while on the quarantine.”

Some officials of the hospital, including the Chief Medical Director, Jesse Otegbayo, who had earlier tested positive, had their status reversed a few days afterwards.