Ortom confirms two more cases of coronavirus in Benue, tightens lockdown statewide

Benue State Governor, His Excellency Samuel Ortom, today at an Expanded Consultative meeting of the State Action Committee on COVID-19 at Peoples House, Makurdi, announced the confirmation of two additional cases of COVID-19 in the state.

Addressing the press, the governor revealed that the cases, which takes Benue’s tally to four, are from results of tests conducted on the victims at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja.

According to him, Hon. Mrs. Rebecca Apedzan is one of the new cases while the other is a minor whose identity will be kept confidential at the moment.

Governor Ortom commended the State COVID-19 team under the Chairmanship of his Deputy, Engr. Benson Abounu, which he said is doing a great job under difficult conditions but with utmost dedication and selflessness.

He also hailed the contributions of the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi and the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) which he stressed have been pivotal to the fight against the virus in the state.

Governor Ortom assured that facilities for quarantine and treatment of victims in the state are being expanded with the sum of N60 million having been released for work on the Child and Maternal Healthcare Centre and Special Care Unit at the Benue State University, both in Makurdi.

He extolled the people of the state for having been vigilant and responsive to happenings around them, resulting in their identifying and reporting suspected cases of the virus which have been mostly from persons who have travelled into the state from outside.

On effecting a lockdown of the state at entry points on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon in Kwande and boundaries with neighbouring states, the governor declared a tightening of measures to block identified lapses which have led to illegal influx of people.

He appealed to Muslim and Christian adherents to bear a further two weeks extension of the ban on congregational worship in churches and mosques, and worship God at home, even as he expressed appreciation for the understanding they have shown all through the period of the ban.

“We have made efforts to contain the virus but it is still raging on and at this point we have to be more responsible in observing the preventive measures of personal hygiene and social distancing.

“But it is very important that we all stay at home, and where it becomes necessary to go out of our homes, we must wear facemasks”, the governor stressed.

He further enjoined the people to make the effort to acquire and wear facemasks as a matter of necessity whenever in public, urging those who are well-to-do to acquire and distribute masks to the less privileged as a humanitarian gesture.

Governor Ortom also called on those who may have had any form of contact with all identified cases in the state so far to come forward for testing, revealing that treatment for the virus is free.

He said the fight against the virus demands unity of purpose through which God Almighty will help Benue to win the war against COVID-19.

Report By Bemgba Iortyom, Member, Benue State Action Committee on COVID-19.
11/5/2020.