Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Wednesday, announced that he tested positive for Coronavirus.
He broke the news, on his verified Twitter account, saying the result of his latest test, came back positive, and had consequently proceeded on self isolation.
The Governor said: ”I took my third COVID-19 test yesterday and it came back positive. I’m generally okay and I’m already self isolating at home and receiving the best of care from my medical team.
”I’m delegating critical tasks to my Deputy but will continue routine duty from home”.
Fayemi had on March 25, 2020, gone into self isolation over same issue of Coronavirus.
The Governor, who then, made the confirmation of his first isolation, known, in Ado Ekiti, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, however, asked the people of the state not to be apprehensive about the development.
The governor had then, clarified that his going into self isolation, should not be misconstrued to mean that he already had the disease, saying it was just a precautionary measure.
Fayemi had earlier in the day, broken the news of his self isolation on his tweeter handle, saying he had come in contact with high profile personalities in the country found to be positive , and who he had contacts with, in his capacity as Chairnan of the NGF.
The Governor, had himself, disclosed before then, that he actually came in contact with some high level personalities in the country, found to be positive, and offered himself to be tested through the Natiobal Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC).
Quoting him, the Governor said ” There is no cause for alarm, I just took this step as a normal precautionary measure”
“I had had gone in contact with those having suspected cases and i felt i have to do this to help the situation”.
” With the circumstance we find ourselves today, every citizen must engage in personal hygiene and take actions that can help us overcome this challenge and that is exactly what i have done”.
Fayemi had also urged Ekiti the residents not to panic over the development , saying he took the precautionary measures in the best interest of all and to prevent the spread of the disease.
He said his action became imperative having gone in contact with those suspected to be having index cases of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Dr Solomon Chollom, a Jos-based Virologist, says that there are increasing evidences to the fact that Coronavirus is also airborne, not just droplet infection as claimed by over 230 scientists across the world.
Chollom said on Wednesday in Abuja, that the World Heath Organisation (WHO) is considering the veracity of several research claims and was beginning to consider making pronouncement in this regard.
WHO formally recognised that coronavirus can be transmitted indoors by droplets in the air, marking a reversal for the United Nations agency.
The WHO said in a scientific brief that people, who spend time in crowded settings with poor ventilation, run the risk of being infected by the coronavirus as the droplets circulate throughout the air in indoor gatherings.
The admission comes after a crush of criticism from experts pushing the organisation to update its description of the virus’s spread to include the possibility of airborne infections.
WHO now acknowledges that transmissions via aerosols, or tiny air droplets, could have been behind “outbreaks of COVID-19 reported in some closed settings, such as restaurants, nightclubs, places of worship or places of work where people may be shouting, talking, or singing.”
Besides refraining from having close contact with infected people and frequent hand-washing, the agency says people should “avoid crowded places, close-contact settings, and confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
According to the expert, in the meantime, the body has advised that buildings where people gather in large numbers for a long time and where they talk, sing or speak must be well ventilated to reduce the risk of populating and contaminating the air with the virus.
“Places like worship centres, social centres, schools etc are thus the major concern,” he said.
The Virologist said that if the world health body eventually makes the pronouncement in this regard, then Nigerians would have to review its national COVID-19 guidelines to address the emerging realities.
Chollom noted that these would include the possible introduction of the use of radiations like ultraviolet (uv) rays to decontaminate /sterilize public places and residents occasionally.
“This may include the use of light as obtained through light bulbs to sterilise worship places, cinemas and clubs, schools before and after every use to ensure maximum safety. Same may be deployed in homes,” he noted.
He, however, said that major entrances to public places like schools, hospitals and worship places must have decontaminating cabinets at their entrances and exits.
He said the decontaminating cabinets would be such that when one steps in, he/she would receive a spray of the decontaminating chemical all through their body to rid them of any viral droplet that may be hanging on them.
The Virologist said that these measures would likely be introduced in addition to the existing measures of regular hand washing, use of face masks, social distancing among others.
