Ebonyi State has instituted a stop-and-test measure to identify and isolate visitors with high temperatures coming into the state with effect from today, 20 March 2020, Secretary to the Government, Dr. Ugbala Kenneth Igwe, said in a statement.

“Government of Ebonyi State have proactively built a testing and quarantine centers at Unity square and the  border between Enugu and Ebonyi and shall build more at all the exit and entering points of Ebonyi State as a way of ensuring that the health of everybody entering or exiting Ebonyi State is ascertained.”

In addition, the State said yesterday in a statement that it has procured 150 infra-red thermometers which will be deployed from today by the Ministry of Health and State Committee on Anti-Coronavirus to test temperature of all residents.

Health workers are to be deployed to “all markets, rice mills, quarry, banks and other public event management centers, to carry out test on people randomly,” Dr. Igwe said.

Like Enugu and Anambra, Ebonyi state has also directed that all schools be shut by 12.00 noon today, 20 March, and remain closed until further notice.

Security agencies were asked to ensure that the directive is carried out.

Although the statement indicated that government would meet with religious leaders “in a few days to discuss gathering in their worship centers,” it nevertheless prohibited “every gathering of more than 50 persons in religious worship centers.”

Also shut down on the orders of the government are “night clubs and other night activities.”

Government directed that markets and religious centers must deploy  a strategy of hand sanitizers  and deploy  other temperature checks at their entry and exit places.  

Citizens were advised “against hand shaking and hugging (and) eating of animals to have been identified as means of contacting the virus.”

As preventive measures, citizens of Ebonyi were asked to keep their environment clean while those that keep pets “should be mindful on how they touch the animals as you wash your hands regularly.” 

 “Coronavirus /Lassar fever scotch  are realities in Nigeria,” Dr. Igwe said.

Author

If you love this, click a button below to share the knowledge