The Enugu State Ministry of Health has confirmed a new case of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to three.
The State Commissioner for Health, Ikechukwu Obi, on Wednesday announced in a statement that the state recorded another case.
He said, “This confirmed case developed symptoms on Tuesday 21st April and reported to a frontline health centre in the state on Saturday 25th April 2020.
“A vigilant health care worker, operating on a high index of suspicion contacted the Enugu State COVID-19 Rapid Response Team, and this case was brought in for sample collection on Monday 27th April 2020. The result returned on the evening of 28th April 2020 as a confirmed positive case.
“The patient has been admitted into one of our Treatment and Isolation Centres, while contacts are being identified, line-listed, and for samples to be taken for testing. Decontamination of the residence of this case will also be promptly carried out.”
He urged the people of Enugu to practice social distancing, proper hygiene, and wear face masks in public.
“The Enugu State Government commends our brave frontline health care workers, who continue to professionally discharge their duties. The Enugu State Government also wishes to thank the gallant members of our security forces who with our health workers, man our interstate borders and points of entry, day and night. While imploring them to tighten their dragnet in order to avoid further risk of movement of persons not on essential services, across the state’s borders.
“The Good people of Enugu State are advised to stay at home, and only go out when absolutely necessary, further when going out, you are strongly advised to wear an appropriate ‘cloth’ face mask, avoid touching the front of the face mask, and always remove the mask from both ears at once. You are advised to practice physical/social distancing of at least 2m (or 6ft) apart from each other, and practice proper respiratory hygiene (cough or sneeze into your elbow, use a tissue if you must and discard immediately into a safe and secure bin. Wash your hands as often as possible with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or the length of time it takes you to sing the happy birthday song twice) or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when there is no facility to wash your hands. Finally sanitize surfaces all around you as often as possible with a 1in5 mixture of bleach and water”.