Story from Kenneth AFOR, Lagos
The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, led by Governor Seyi Makinde on Thursday announced the relaxation of the 10:00 pm curfew imposed on the state in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
This was conveyed in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa.
The relaxation of the curfew is premised on the number of reduction of infection and also the need to reduce the burden on business owners, who had been affected by the curfew, especially since the COVID-19 situation had begun to improve in the state.
The statement warned that night club operators should desist from having persons in close proximity within their premises after research has shown that the virus spreads faster when people are together in closed venues.
It further added that guidelines will be sent to night club operators by the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) arm of the task force, which will warn them not to allow guests into their enclosed areas.
“The state is not completely out of the woods with regards to COVID-19.
“Though it appeared that COVID-19 cases are coming down in the state, the confidence interval cannot be determined yet,” it said.
Residents are however warned not to totally disregard the guidelines on the prevention of the virus, including washing of hands, social distancing and use of nose masks.
To continue winning the fight against COVID-19, the Governor has approved the conversion of the Aawe Isolation Centre to a Level 3 Primary Health Care Centre (PHC), directing that the facility should be decontaminated and handed over to the Hospitals Management Board.
Also, the task force has mandated a facility would be re-converted as an isolation centre or a part of it would be so utilised as an isolation centre if there is a notice of a spike of the virus in any area.
The statement also indicated that the task force directed the Oyo State Hospitals Management Board to identify a Primary Health Care Centre around Olodo axis of Ibadan, which would be upgraded to take care of residents in that axis.
In its briefing at the meeting, the EOC reported that it had, in collaboration with the Information Communication Centre of the state, developed a portal for the registration of NCDC-licensed private laboratories for the conduct of COVID-19 tests.
According to the statement, since the wake of the virus, the state has conducted 15,700 COVID-19 tests, with 3,118 confirmed cases and 37 fatalities.
It also confirmed that the state had received donations in cash, agricultural goods and health equipment to the tune of N1.273 billion since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state.
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