Ekiti issues strict rules on movement of people, dead bodies

The Ekiti state government has issued strict rules regarding the movement of people and dead bodies into the state as a way of curbing the spread of coronavirus in the state.

According to the Ekiti state Covid-19 Task Force chief, Professor Bolaji Aluko, nobody would be allowed to transport dead bodies into the state, that the corpses must undergo examinations to ascertain their medical history.

Aluko, who spoke in Ado Ekiti said the state was displeased that there were still people trying to use force to enter the state through its borders not minding the ban on movement owing to the pandemic.

According to him, some persons were intercepted by security agencies on Thursday at Ido, Ile Ekiti trying to forcefully enter the state, but were immediately returned to the borders.

On transportation of corpses, he said, “Movement of corpses had earlier been banned outrightly in Ekiti. But because of this lockdown relaxation, corpses will now be allowed to move in and out of Ekiti from next week; every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

“However, let me emphasise that corpses that must enter Ekiti must henceforth be first certified through registration at the Ministry of Health to know their medical history.

“This is about our health and no compromise will be tolerated.”

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, during the briefing said that all the patients in isolation centres were stable and responding to treatment.

He, however, explained that the second test conducted on a 45-year old doctor infected by a dead COVID-19 patient in the state was still positive after the expiration of the 14 days isolation period.

He said, “Another set of blood samples had already been taken from all the patients to ascertain their condition before any of them can be released because you have to be negative twice before being let out of the isolation centre.”