COVID-19: Ebonyi’s cases hit 5

Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki

Ebonyi State has recorded two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases so far recorded to five.

Announcing the two new cases on Saturday night, Governor David Umahi said the two new cases are a 24-year-old female hairdresser from his own town of Uburu in Ohaozara local government area and a 22-year-old man from Ishieke in Ebonyi local government area of the state.

The governor disclosed that the 4th case is a returnee from Ojo in Lagos, South-West Nigeria, while the 5th case contracted the virus from the 3rd case at the state isolation centre in Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki.

The governor had announced the 3rd case on the night of Friday, May 1st, 2020.

Umahi stated that the two new patients had been moved from the isolation centre to the state quarantine centre at the Unity Square in Abakaliki for treatment.

He urged the people and residents of the state not to panic, assuring that his administration was prepared to tackle the pandemic.

The governor said in his statement: “Ebonyi State, today 2nd May 2020 has recorded two new cases. The two patients that tested positive are 24 years old and 22 years old respectively. The 24-year-old patient is a female and a hairdresser from Ogwu Uburu in Umuobuna ward in Uburu Ohaozara local government area. She was picked from Uburu to Stadium. She happened to be one of the contacts of the 3rd positive case Ebonyi recorded on the 1st of May.

“While the 5th Patient is a 22-year-old man, who lives at No 197 Eshibiri, Ojo LGA Lagos. He was said to have left Lagos on the 26th April 2020, and entered Ebonyi through Enugu- Nkalagu Border and took a bus to Ezzambo Junction. Thereafter, he entered a vehicle from Ezzamgbo Junction to Effium where he entered okada to Ede Ishieke in Ebonyi LGA where he was caught by security officers who now brought him to the stadium on Monday 27-4-2020. His sample was collected, tested and the result came out positive. The two patients have been isolated and moved to our treatment centre for treatment.”