COVID-19: EBONYI TO ESTABLISH OXYGEN PLANT, MOBILE COURT TO TRY DEFAULTERS OF SAFETY PROTOCOL

Reporter : Amechi Odoh

Ebonyi State Government says plans are underway to establish an oxygen processing plant as part of measures to fight the second wave of coronavirus disease in the State.

Governor David Umahi announced this during the launch of state-wide campaign against the spread of the virus at Government House Abakaliki.

The latest situation report by Ebonyi State Ministry of Health indicates that the state has recorded ninety-two confirmed cases in the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic with fourteen persons presently on admission while seventy-eight are on self isolation.

Governor Umahi said the state government was determined to stop further spread of the virus in the state by shutting down drinking joints, night clubs and restaurants while religious worship would be limited to two hours.

He noted that wearing of face masks would henceforth be made compulsory and tasked COVID-19 State Taskforce to test four hundred and fifty residents per local government area in addition to the procurement of oxygen cylinders.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, emphasised that the state government would activate its mobile court next week to try offenders of state COVID-19 laws and those who flout safety protocol.

Also, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, explained that from April 26, 2020 when the index case was recorded, the state had treated and discharged 1,193 (one thousand, one hundred and ninety-three) PATIENTS and called on the residents to adopt new normal safety behaviours to curb new transmissions.

Highpoint of the event was the unveiling of COVID-19 safety kits by the Governor.