Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia state, says he is doing fine after testing positive for COVID-19.

Enyinnaya Apollos, his spokesman, quoted him as saying this during a chat they had on Wednesday.

The governor was also said to have asked his team to carry on with the governance of the state as he looked forward to returning soon.

Writing via his Facebook page, Apollos said: “He (Ikpeazu) said to me: ‘I’m very fine. Unu jide stage (you people should carry on with work), very soon I will be back. I’m doing fine’.

On Monday, John Okiyi Kalu, Abia commissioner of information in the state, announced that Ikpeazu tested positive for the coronavirus and has been in isolation since submitting his sample.

He said the governor has directed the deputy governor to act on his behalf pending the time he resumes duty.

Abia has 97 of the 13,800 COVID-19 cases recorded so far in Nigeria.