The number of contacts identified and quarantined in connection with the Italian victim of Coronavirus at Lafarge Africa PLC factory in Ewekoro, Ogun State has risen from 28 to 39, the cement company’s Industrial Director, Segun Soyoye, disclosed on Saturday.
Soyoye equally said Lafarge has not shut down its production lines contrary in the media reports.
He spoke on Saturday at the Lafarge facility, Ewekoro, during an on-the-spot-assessment by Ogun state government team, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
Soyoye declared that the Italian came to Lafarge facilities in Ewekoro to inspect some installations of machines bought from a Swedich firm.
He said all the 39 contacts have been quarantined at the isolation centres located in the facility where they are expected to spent 14 days.
He said: “The contacts are now 39 and we have quarantined them, the house and clinic as well as the vehicles.
“We don’t take chances that is why they are put there. Today is Day 3, they will be there for 14 days, we will continue to observe them, we have their database, showing their biodata and other information.
“The doctor is here and what he is doing is to check them on a regular basis, so far everybody is stable, they are not symptomatic, we are providing everything for them over there.
“The other thing that I have not said is that the clinic that was used for the infected person is closed, disinfected and we moved everybody out, all the guys at duty that day, they were also quarantined, so they will be there for 14 days as well.”
Speaking on behalf of the Government, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, commended Lafarge Africa PLC for quick and proactive measures taken so far, saying it is also imperative for State and Federal Governments to swing into action to contain the spread of the deadly disease.
According to her, the officials would meet at the centre on daily basis to review the ongoing situation around COVID-19 virus and updating the public on regular basis.
She explained that the surveillance team is on the filed, while the contacts of the index were under control.
Coker said: “We would like to reassure every member of the public that there is no reason to be afraid. We are in control of the situation in Ogun state. The surveillance team are out and the contacts of the index are under control. The health educators are out there also creating awareness and sensitising health workers so that if there should be any suspected cases, we are able to identify them as soon as possible and intervened in a prompt manner.
“I will thank the people of Ogun State for remaining calm and for engaging in the hygiene activities like washing our hand with alcohol based sanitizer, among others.”
Taxi driver in custody
Meanwhile, the State Government has denied report that a taxi driver who drove the Coronavirus victim from Lagos to Ewekoro, had escaped.
Report had gone viral on social media that the driver had demanded N100million, threatening to spread the chronic virus, if not paid.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin described the report as “figment of the imagination of some unscrupulous elements whose desire is to incite fear in the members of the public.”
