Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that aside from his wife, Mrs Eunice Ortom and son, other top government functionaries in the state have tested positive for COVID-19.
Speaking with newsmen, on Saturday, the governor said that the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Tony Ijohor SAN, Head of Service, Veronica Onyeke, and the Chief of Staff, Terwase Orbunde were among the 33 people newly tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19 in the state.
The governor further said that cooks, maids and some personal staff were among those tested positive for the dreaded disease.
He also mentioned that the deputy chairman of the state action committee on COVID-19 also tested positive for the disease.
Ortom called on the people of the state to learn a lesson from the first family of the state that COVID-19 is real and enjoined them to adhere strictly to the World Health Organization protocol.
The governor expressed possible total lockdown in the state following the rise in COVID19 which now stands at 98 cases.
According to the governor, “as my wife rightly announced of her COVID-19 positive status and that of our son late Friday, this should serve as lesson to our people in the state that no one is immune to COVID-19 and we should all adhere strictly to the protocol set by WHO.
“We have thirty-three people who just tested positive for Covid19 in the state, among them are, the Head of Service, SSG and my Chief of Staff also the deputy chairman of the state COVID-19 committee.
“The disease is right in my house, my wife, son, some of our cooks, maids and other personal staff tested positive for the disease.
“Though, (displaying his own COVID19 result) am negative but my samples will still be taking in the next three days for another test, but right now, we are all in self-isolation, already, the government house is being decontaminated and I have decided to go on self-isolation.”
While responding to questions on the rise in coronavirus case in the state, the governor said, “the state COVID- 19 committees would be meeting next week to take decision on that and if the committee decides that it will be wise to return to total lockdown, then, we will go.”
Governor Ortom advised people of the state, particularly, journalists to go for testing, stating that earlier detection of the disease would help tame the devastating effect of the disease.
The government house was early hours of Saturday decontaminated.
