Akwa Ibom govt constitutes taskforce on Coronavirus

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong told newsmen on Monday in Uyo, on activities of the government to curb coronavirus

Ukpong said that the state government has ensured that facilities including private and public hospitals have been provided with protective equipment, with volunteers on the alert.

According to him, the government has taken proactive measures in the event of an outbreak of the disease in the state.

The commissioner said that isolation wards have been constructed in hospitals with an emergency operations centre in Ikot Ekpene to cater for any case.

He said that adequate measures have also been put in place in the last 72 hours to checkmate any circumstances that could lead to an outbreak of the disease in the state.

”Nigeria is the third African country to have recorded the COVID-19 since its outbreak in China in December 2019.

”Adequate measures have been put in place to checkmate the disease. Major airlines operating in the state have been briefed on procedure that will be adopted in screening passengers upon arrival.

”We are meeting with the heads of Churches, through the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), state chapter to enlighten their congregation and the public to maintain a high degree of hygiene,” Ukpong said.

He added that volunteers have been put on alert in case of emergency.

He said that the state government was in laison with the National Centre for Disease Control in Abuja and after due inspection of facilities in the State was satisfied with the proactive measures already taken.

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He urged the public to avoid large gatherings and avoid handshakes and self-medications in the case of fever.

The commissioner further advised the public to avoid bush meats, rats and bats as transmission was from animal to man.

He added that people should not to panic as government was doing everything possible to contain the disease.