Coronavirus: NCDC announces 6 new cases in Osun

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced six new cases of coronavirus in Osun State.

The announcement was made early on Friday, April 3, 2020, raising the state's tally to 20 cases, the third highest in the country.

The new cases are believed to come from a cluster of travellers who came into the country from Ivory Coast, through Benin Republic, on Saturday, March 28.

The group of 127 travellers were immediately isolated in Ejigbo without coming into contact with the general public.

In a series of tests conducted on the group, three were first found to be positive, before nine additional cases were announced on Wednesday, April 1.

Even though Nigeria has closed its land borders, the government has stressed repeatedly that it cannot deny entry to Nigerians coming from abroad; although the Federal Government has made several appeals to them to stay where they are until the coronavirus crisis passes.

The Osun government has already ordered a shutdown of social and economic activities for a period of two weeks starting from March 31.

On Thursday, April 2, state governor, Gboyega Oyetola, signed the Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 into law.

Osun State governor, Gboyega Oyetola [Twitter/@GboyegaOyetola] Pulse Nigeria

The law primarily prohibits anyone from violating the sit-at-home order, an offence that attracts a six-month imprisonment or an option of fine upon conviction.

The law also makes the transmission or dissemination of false information regarding the coronavirus disease an offence that attracts the same punishment.

"Similarly, the promotion of unverified, untested, or unapproved cures, vaccines or other similar items that purport to cure, alleviate or reduce instances of persons infected with Covid-19, also constitutes an offence and offenders upon conviction will be liable to six-month imprisonment or an option of fine," an official statement read.

Nigeria has now recorded a total of 190 cases, as of the time of this report, with Lagos recording 98 of those, followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja with 38.

Other states where cases have been recorded are Oyo (8), Akwa Ibom (5), Ogun (4), Edo (4), Kaduna (4), Bauchi (3), Enugu (2), Ekiti (2), Rivers (1), and Benue (1).

A total of 20 people have made full recoveries and discharged to resume their regular lives.

Two people have died, both in Abuja, after complications brought on by underlying illnesses, according to authorities.