Abia State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, Monday, said that the governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, who tested positive for Covid-19 is ‘being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health’.
Ikpeazu who tested positive for coronavirus, had since gone into isolation. Recall that the governor and his family members had on Saturday, 30th May, 2020, went for covid-19 test and the result came out negative.
Unfortunately, results of two of his aides who also subjected themselves to COVID-19 tests were positive while others turned negative. Following the outcome of tests conducted on close family members of a late member of the state executive council (Exco) and member of the Inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19, Abia State Governor,
Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, directed all members of the committee and those of the Exco who might have come in contact with the late commissioner to immediately undergo COVID-19 tests and isolate themselves thereafter pending the outcome of the tests.
He also directed all Chairmen of the 17 Local Government Areas of the State, together with their deputies, to present themselves for COVID 19 test.
His words, “Further to my earlier directive on the testing of members of the State Executive Council, I wish to direct that all Transition Council Chairmen of our 17 LGAs, and their Deputies, present themselves for COVID-19 tests and thereafter isolate themselves pending the release of their test results.
“I urge all citizens and residents to eschew rumor mongering and get involved in the battle against COVID-19. Take responsibility because Abia is ready to win this battle with all hands on deck.”
On Thursday, 4th June, 2020, the Governor submitted another sample at the Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory for confirmation and the result returned positive.
Disclosing this in a statement obtained by Vanguard on Monday, 8, 2020, Kalu advised Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious, saying that the disease is real but not a death sentence.