Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, on Sunday said the lockdown in the state owing to COVID-19 may be extended for another two weeks, if necessary. 

He disclosed that 109 out of the 127 Abidjan returnees quarantined and tested to determine their status have been released from the isolation centre. The governor said one of the first two cases in the state has fully recovered, also tested negative twice and have been released. Speaking in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyetola said the 109 returnees tested negative to Coronavirus and that the remaining 18 that tested positive are receiving treatment and are in good condition.

Oyetola said the lockdown in the state may be extended if necessary as he appealed to the people of Osun to endure the lockdown. The governor said the 21-member relief committee he set up was working on modalities for the distribution of relief materials to the people of the state. The governor said one of the infected patients who absconded from the facility did not mingle with the residents, adding that there’s no fear that the patient infected anyone within the period she left the facility. The governor said[b], “that patient that left our facility in Ejigbo couldn’t infect anyone because the people of the community shut their doors against her. They didn’t allow her to enter their homes. That was why it was easy to apprehend and return her to the treatment facility.”[/b] Oyetola said the 127 returnees were from different parts of the country and Osun saved Nigeria from major disaster by ensuring that the 127 returnees did not go to their respective state.

“Upon profiling, we realised that many of the returnees are from different states. For instance, two of them are from Abia state. But we took responsibility and treated all of them. “It would have been disastrous if the 127 people were allowed to move to their various states and mix with people in their respective communities when they came into the country”, he added. Oyetola debunked the rumour that the federal government has released N5billion to Osun to manage COVID-19, saying “I wish I could have that. But I don’t have it. I’m just hearing about it”.

The governor urged the federal government to assist Osun in its efforts to prevent the further spread of the disease. Meanwhile, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi has debunked the insinuation that there was panic in his domain when the Iwo indigenes among the Abidjan returnees that were released from the isolation were reintegrated with their relatives. He said the returnees who are indigenes of Iwo were welcomed home and received with joy. He commended the state government for the proactive steps taken to prevent the spread of the virus in the state.

Source:- Daily Trust