Oyo State has recorded its second death from the novel coronavirus, insideoyo.com reports.
The state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde made the announcement on Sunday via a post on Twitter.
The governor stated that the victim was one of the three coronavirus cases confirmed in the state yesterday.
He said: “Sadly, one of the new COVID-19 cases announced yesterday, passed away this morning.
“This brings the number of COVID-19 related deaths in the state to two. So, there are currently eight active cases in Oyo State.”
Insideoyo.com reports that there are 21 confirmed cases in the state, out of which 1 was transferred to Lagos, 2 persons died, 10 people were discharged after testing negative twice, while there are 8 active cases in the state.
Meanwhile, in a similar development, Makinde said that the state would from Sunday, begin to take delivery of the one million face masks, which he said would be distributed free to market men and women, artisans and civil servants, among others.
He said: “The State Secretariat will be reopened on Monday, April 27, 2020. Only civil servants at level 13 and above with separate offices will resume.
“The following guidelines are in place to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19 within the secretariat: There will be new security measures in place including having only one gate to serve as entrance and exit. All other gates will be closed. All meetings will be held online.
“No visitors are allowed except absolutely necessary. There will be hand washing facilities in strategic locations round the secretariat. One 100ml hand sanitizer and face masks will be given to each officer. Bush canteens around the secretariat will remain closed. Officers are encouraged to bring their own food for lunch. Posters and banners will be in conspicuous places round the secretariat to revalidate guidelines for resumption.”
Governor Makinde, according to the statement, also stated that the dusk to dawn curfew, which currently runs from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., will be relaxed to 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. in order to accommodate farmers during the planting season, adding that farmers were being sensitised on how they could stay safe as they cultivate their farms during the pandemic.
He added that the state will be providing Covid-19 compliant guidelines to markets, including hand washing and wearing of face masks, noting that only markets that meet up with the guidelines would be allowed to reopen.
The governor, who commended the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, for the work being done at the national level to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, said: “The Federal Ministry of Health is decentralising the accreditation of isolation/treatment centres at the state level so that it can be quicker and more efficient.
“Based on this, the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, Ibadan will be working with the Commissioner for Health, to set up a five-person accreditation team.”
Addressing the issue of palliatives, Governor Makinde assured that the palliatives to be provided were ready, saying: “The palliatives to be provided by the Oyo State Government are now ready. Based on our data, they will be distributed to 90,000 households identified as the poorest of the poor and 30,000 targeted vulnerable households.”
He also stated that the Covid-19 patient at the Agbami Chest Centre, Jericho isolation centre will be moved to the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, to enable the state upgrade the facilities at the Agbami centre.
