The Oyo State Government has confirmed that a new Coronavirus Diagnostic Centre set up in collaboration with the University College Hospital is now ready in Ibadan, the state capital.
Governor Seyi Makinde in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary said, “the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, certification is still pending but the Director-General of NCDC has made a pre-statement about the molecular laboratory in Oyo State.”
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When fully operational, the testing facility in Ibadan will be the 6th molecular laboratory certified by the NCDC for the testing of Coronavirus and other infectious diseases in the country. The other five laboratories are located with one each in Abuja, Edo, and Osun States and two of the facilities in Lagos State.
Oyo State, which recorded two new Coronavirus cases on Friday, has also initiated the isolation process and identified 84 persons of interest who had contact with the confirmed Coronavirus cases and are being traced for their samples to be collected for laboratory test.
The statement explained that the index case in the state remains in stable condition and is still under observation at the isolation unit of the Agbami Chest Centre, Jericho.
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The number of confirmed cases in Oyo State has risen to three with Governor Makinde approving seven measures to be implemented with immediate effect to check the spread of the virus in the state.
Consequently, the State Government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the State from 7 pm to 6 am with total ban on gatherings of more than 10 people anywhere in the state.
From Sunday night, March 29, 2020, all markets in the state will also be closed down except those selling perishable food items.
Also, interstate transportation into and out of the state will be suspended except vehicles carrying food items, medical, pharmaceutical, and petroleum products.
All the new measures are to be reviewed on a weekly basis.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
