The Ekiti State Government has revealed that it has received over N600 million donations from philanthropists and private organisations since the lockdown was pronounced by Governor Kayode Fayemi in respect of the coronavirus pandemic.
The government also revealed that it has recorded four new cases, which involved tree males and one female, who sneaked into the state from Lagos, Katsina and Oyo States during the lockdown.
The revelation was made in Ado Ekiti Friday by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, when members of the Covid-19 Taskforce gave an update on the spread of the scourge in the state.
Yaya-Kolade said though the state has discharged some patients from the isolation centre, but hinted that three of the four new cases were those that have been quarantined having come to the state from places considered as epicentre of Covid-19.
“We have four new cases now. One of the cases is an old man that has been isolated in one of our tertiary health institutions for a while. He is an elderly person who is in a critical condition.
“Others included a 35-year-old female from Katsina and 32-year-old male from Ibadan, while the third one is a 38-year-old male from Lagos, who all sneaked into Ekiti during the lockdown.
“But despite all these, no community spread, because they all came from outside. We beg our people to always alert us when new people come into town, because this has been working.
“But we are begging that nobody should come to Ekiti now, it is an executive order given by Governor Kayode Fayemi that nobody should come at this precarious time.
“It constitutes financial burden to Ekiti for victims of Covid-19 to come from Lagos, Oyo, Katsina to our state for treatment,” she stated.
Yaya-Kolade added that the government has trained a total of 80 civil servants on how to test the people using infra red thermometer.
She added that a total of 234 blood samples had been taken and tested since the outbreak of the disease, adding that more will be done to safeguard the state from calamity.
The commissioner added that Ekiti has set up a molecular laboratory situated within the premises of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, which she said will be launched soon.
Also speaking, the Director General, Office of Transformation, Strategy and Delivery, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, stated that the state has received the sum of N631.083 million cash donations through the Covid-19 Fund Mobilisation Committee, headed by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
“We have received a sum of N631.08 million from 535 contributors which the breakdown includes 231 donors and 234 political appointees.
“About 50 private organisations had donated food items and other consumables to fight this scourge by way of cushioning the effect of lockdown on the people,” he said.
Aluko said the state government will continue to work with security agencies and border towns to make the borders safe and impenetrable by intruders.
The Commissioner for Environment, Hon Gbenga Agbeyo, said drone fumigation by Oodua fumigating team being powered by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, will soon commence as part of the measures to curb the menace.
