The Ekiti State Government on Monday confirmed four new cases of the coronavirus, with two children of ages 9 and 10 infected.
At a briefing in Ado Ekiti by the COVID-19 committee, the commissioner for health, Mojisola Yahaya-Kolade, said the minors were suspected to have contracted the virus from the 45-year-old medical doctor.
The doctor himself was confirmed to have contracted it from the female pregnant health worker who died after a cesarean section operation.
“In the four new cases, there were two children of ages 10 and nine who must have contracted it through the 45-year-old doctor and only active case before the new cases,” Mrs Yayaha-Kolade said.
“They are all in the isolation centre. They are responding, doing well, stable and in high spirit.
“With this new development, we have 58 contacts to trace and we have started doing that.
“Blood samples have been taken and results are being awaited while the contacts tracing also continues.”
Mrs Yaya-Kolade said Ekiti does not have a community spread of the virus, noting “the committee knew where the contacts came from”.
Meanwhile, the coordinator of the COVID-19 Task Force, Bolaji Aluko, clarified that the 1800 bags of rice donated to Ekiti by Federal Government would be sorted to separate the expired ones.
“We have not rejected or returned any rice to FG. The state will do sorting and separate the bad ones out of the consignment,” he said.
A similar action is also being taken in Ondo and Osun who are making efforts to check the donated rice before distributing to the public.
Oyo State had reportedly concluded plans to return the bags of rice to the Federal Government after ascertaining that the product had expired.
Mr Aluko also said the state government had begun the tracking of commuters ” who forcefully entered the state with a view to quarantine them.”
He urged residents in border towns to give information that could help in apprehending those crossing into the state illegally.
“Quarantine points have been provided in all the 16 local governments and to also demonstrate our seriousness, some pastors holding nocturnal church processions had been arrested and made to face the Magistrate courts,” he said.
According to Mr Aluko, the state will continue to distribute food supplements and other protective materials to citizens to help curb the menace.
The index case who had contacts with a visiting American tourist, had since been treated and discharged.
