The number of COVID-19 cases have risen to eight in Ondo State as against last week when only two cases were remaining at the state Infectious Disease Hospital.
This is just as a landlord in Akure prevented community transmission by not allowing one of his tenants from Abuja gained access to her apartment.
The landlord was said to have alerted the state government and the tenant was picked up.
Her samples were collected and the result returned positive.
Other persons that tested positive besides the lady from Abuja were two policemen serving in Lagos State, one of the suspected killers of Funke Olakunrin and a lady admitted at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who disclosed the figures at a press briefing Monday described the action of the two policemen as clear evidence of panic, disobedience, lack of discretion and reckless disregard for the well being of others.
He said the journey of the two policemen to and fro Lagos and Akure even after receiving their positive status was unnecessary, ill-advised and a total disregard for the national regulation which forbids interstate movement.
Governor Akeredolu stated that he has directed the activation of a wider processes to trace, isolate and test all primary and secondary contacts with all the cases at large in the state to curtail a further spread of the infection.
Akeredolu lamented that the state borders were still porous and heavily compromised by security agents.
He accused the security agents of being accomplices by abusing the trust placed on them at this critical time.
Urging Ondo residents to choose life by obeying government orders, Governor Akeredolu said the increase in the number of cases showed what would happen if they failed to obey simple rules and regulations carefully crafted to save and preserve lives.
His words, “Our experience before the new cases at the weekend showed that if we work together, we could defeat the Covid-19 and save our own lives.
“For purpose of clarity and for clear understanding of the facts of the matter by members of the public, the fourth and fifth Cases are officers of the Nigerian Police Force, serving under the Lagos State Police Command while the sixth case is a murder suspect who was arrested in Edo State and transferred to Ondo State for trial of crime earlier committed in Ondo State.
“The seventh case was a female civilian who sneaked into the State from Abuja. Meanwhile, the eighth case was discovered in Owo and samples taken were confirmed positive late last night.
“In any and all of these scenarios, we are the losers. The level of threat and risk to our lives and those of our loved ones are heightened. We must do something to prevent these unfortunate and absolutely avoidable experiences.
“I, therefore, wish to call on the Inspector General of Police, the Service chiefs of the Nigerian Armed Forces as well as the authorities of other security agencies, to streamline and monitor the movement and operations of their men at this time, to prevent needless, avoidable and unfortunate occurrences like this in the future. I also challenge them to enforce stricter compliance of their agents to their Operational Orders and the same regulations they are enforcing on all Nigerians.
“I believe there can be no corruption or malfeasance higher than any act of wilful compromise that threaten lives, peaceful existence, well-being and sustainability of our society. It is clear that we need a persistent vigour to prosecute a successful battle against this deadly virus across the nation.
” May I therefore urge every resident of Ondo State, to improve on compliance with the precautionary regulations against Covid-19 as pronounced by Government. While we are not unaware of the disruptions and inconveniences occasioned by these regulations, we request the highest level of citizen responsibility, particularly as we face the serious risk of community transmission.”
