COVID-19 patients abscond from isolation centres in Oyo, Bauchi

The Oyo state government has declared wanted two coronavirus patients who absconded from one its isolation centres, while another patient was also said to have fled an iolation centre in Bauchi

Governor Seyi Makinde, in a tweet on Wednesday said two COVID-19 patients out of the 33 active cases being managed in isolation centre in Oyo state had absconded.

“Of the 33 active cases being managed by the state, two have absconded, possibly to their permanent places of residence. This brings the number of active cases in Oyo State to 31,” he said.

Makinde also said that the state had received more results from pending COVID-19 confirmation tests and that the result of one suspected case came back positive on Tuesday, saying that the person is based in Ibadan.

“The results of five suspected cases came back positive on 04/05/2020. Four of these five cases are immigrants and the last person is an Oyo State resident.

“The results of five suspected cases came back positive on 05/05/2020. Four of these five cases are travellers from the Northern part of Nigeria and the last one is an Oyo State resident.

“Ten cases are self-isolating while twenty-one cases are being managed in the isolation centres in Oyo State; one at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and twenty in Olodo. Nineteen of these twenty cases at Olodo are asymptomatic and the last person has anosmia (loss of smell).

“A total of 975 samples have so far, been collected and are being processed. Please call the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, if you find travellers from other states arriving in your neighbourhood,” he said.

Meanwhile, in unidentified patient who tested positive for coronavirus in Bauchi state has fled from the state’s isolation centre.

The State Deputy Governor, Sen. Baba Tela, who is the Chairman of the Taskforce Response Committee on Lassa Fever and Coronavirus confirmed the development to newsmen at the Government House,Bauchi on Wednesday.

According to him, “We had at least a case where a patient ran away though we have security personnel at virtually all isolation centres but they are also human, they have to protect themselves against further exposure to avoid more positive cases in the state.

”Once a patient is diagnosed he/she ought to follow the medication recommended by the doctor, no patient should run away from isolation centre.”

He noted that manhunt has begun and urged members of the public to be vigilant.