BY LEVI JOHNSON
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has on Sunday ordered workers to stay at home until further notice following the upsurge in Covid-19.
According to him, with 920 new confirmed cases recorded in December alone in the country, the state has recorded six deaths.
Speaking during a state broadcast, Uzodima described the situation in the state as frightening.
He said that the recent PCR-Based tests carried out in the state in accordance with the guidelines of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), revealed a frightful upward surge in the curve of the confirmed case.
He said: “As of last week, no less than 32 persons were confirmed positive with Covid-19.
“Sadly, while the grim realities of increasing Covid -19 infections continues to confront us every day, a general complacency and false sense of safety amongst our people to Covid -19 safety protocols remain the order of the day.
”This trend must be reversed in the interest of everyone. The time to do so is now.
READ ALSO: 55 African Countries Give Reports On COVID-19
”The imminent danger posed by the human traffic surge occasioned by the season makes immediate and drastic steps in this direction both cogent and urgent.
”There is an absolute need to avoid gathering crowds of more than 100 people anywhere in the state. Where such crowds must gather, those involved must wear face masks.
”There should be wash handstands readily available with alcohol-based sanitisers at such gatherings.
”To further strengthen safety measures, all government workers are to stay at home from Monday, December 21, till further notice, except for permanent secretaries and political appointees.
”This means that the state secretariat, which is a major crowd puller, will remain closed, from tomorrow to the public until further notice.
”In addition, wearing face masks in public is henceforth absolutely compulsory. Mobile courts have been deployed all over the state to try any person caught without wearing face masks.
”Equally, all Covid-19 safety protocols will henceforth be strictly enforced. “These include the provision of wash handstands and sanitisers in markets and worship places. Any person or persons caught not observing these safety protocols will be summarily prosecuted in the Mobile courts.
“As we enforce the safety protocols and monitor the situation, we shall regularly review developments to determine further measures that may be necessary.
” I will not want this Christmas to be the last for any of us. Let us take these safety protocols serious and observe them tenaciously. It is in the interest of all of us to do so.”
