Osun State Government has confirmed that 12 Côte d’Ivoire returnees tested positive for the coronavirus in the state.
Qed.ng had reported earlier on Wednesday that the incident has thrown Ejigbo and neighbouring towns in Osun into panic.
It also reported that the returnees were the Osun indigenes initially denied passage in Ogun State last week.
Ismail Omipidan, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, speaking with journalists on Wednesday confirmed the reports after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed nine new infections in Osun, bringing total number in the state to 14.
Mr Omipidan said the surge in number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Osun was due to the state’s indigenes who returned from Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday.
The returnees, he said, were held at the state’s border with Ogun and were later quarantined at an isolation centre in Ejigbo before the state government decided to test them for coronavirus.
“On Saturday, 127 persons from Ivory Coast in six buses came into the state from Ogun and were disallowed by the State Executive Council from mixing with the general public to prevent community transfer of the virus,” he said.
“Between Saturday and Tuesday, 24 samples from the returnees were sent for COVID-19 testing and three of the samples came back positive.
“Another 47 samples was also sent for testing again and the result came back today with nine more persons testing positive.
“The remaining 56 persons had also being tested and their results are being expected, but at this point, we will be needing the assistance of the Federal Government to manage those that have tested positive and others that may still test positive.”
The governor has joined several other states in declaring a lockdown.
