Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Two patients who had earlier tested positive to COVID-19 in Delta State have been discharged from the treatment centre in Asaba after they tested negative.
The patients were attended to at the isolation unit of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa confirmed the discharge of the patients on Tuesday during a state broadcast to announce measures easing the 28-day lockdown earlier declared to curtail the spread of the dreaded disease in the state.
“We are glad to announce that we now have only 3 active cases of COVID-19 in Delta as two patients were discharged today. To God be the glory,” the governor announced.
An official of the State Task Force on COVID-19 had earlier confirmed the recovery of the two cases.
“There is good news. Two cases of COVID-19 are to be discharged in Delta today. They were treated at the FMC, Asaba. They have tested negative twice,” the official stated.
Delta which recorded its index case on April 7 has so far recorded six positive cases of the pandemic with one death and five hitherto active cases.
But with the discharge of the two cases, the active cases have reduced to three.
Announcing the relaxation of the lockdown in the broadcast, Okowa thanked residents for their cooperation in the past four weeks, and urged them to adhere to the new rules to guarantee public health and individual safety.
He said it was now mandatory for residents to wear face masks in public places, noting that the relaxation of the lockdown does not affect the dusk to dawn curfew as socio-economic activities are expected to end by 7pm.
Okowa emphasised the need for social distancing, regular hand washes with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitisers among other practices as specified by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).