Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, on Thursday, extended the dusk-to-dawn curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for another 14 days.
Obaseki had on April 19 announced a 10-day dusk to dawn curfew to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
The governor, announced the extension at a media briefing in Benin on the progress made so far to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
“Since my last public update about 10 days ago, we have made tremendous progress in the area of screening, testing and improving awareness on the pandemic for our people.
“Working closely with the public and private hospitals, we have screened no fewer than 20,000 people and tested 297 of them.
“This increased screening and testing is the reason for the increased number of cases in the state.
“We are aggressively pushing to screen our minimum target of about 500,000 people and test about one percent of them which is about 5,000 in the next few weeks.
“As we increase testing, we are likely to see an astronomic rise in the number of cases in the state.
“Of the 20,000 people we have screened and the 297 sample taken, we have recorded 37 confirmed cases as at today, discharged eight and lost three people.
“It is worthy of note that late testing was a strong factor leading to fatality. That is why I am advising everybody to go out for screening at the numerous screening centres in the state”.
Obaseki said that the various screening centres offered free medical services, free face mask and free multivitamins.
“Am confident that we can beat this virus if we follow the measures put in place strictly.
“I want to appreciate the good people of the state for their cooperation and compliance with the curfew which l imposed 10 days ago.
“I know that the curfew has created inconveniences and loss of incomes to many families, however, this is the sacrifice we have to pay to protect the citizens and their families.
“We have decided to begin another round of palliative distribution to the vulnerable groups in our communities.
“With the lessons we have learnt in the past, we have put measures in place to make sure that only the targeted people receive these items,” he said.
The governor, however, lauded the health workers as frontline workers.
He said that the sate government had approved the payment of hazard allowances ranging from N90,000 to N300,000 depending on their cadre.
According to him, only the health workers, who are participating in the fight against COVID-19 will benefit from the hazard allowance.
Obaseki thanked the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state for volunteering to serve in the state COVID-19 response committee.
He called on politicians to suspend politics and focus on how to contain the spread of the disease in the state.
The governor declared one Mrs Amaka Okoro, who tested positive for COVID-19, wanted for treatment.
According to him, the woman is a nursing mother and her baby is already coughing.
“She lives at No 2 Atoe Idubor Street, off 2nd Ugbor, Benin City and she has been unreachable since her result was positive,” he said.
