By Timothy Alao, Osogbo
The Osun State Government has has debunked rumour going on social media that six people have escaped from the Ejigbo isolation center where the 127 returneees from Cote d’Ivoire are being held in isolation.
The Gazelle News.com reports that the 127 returnees from Abidjan who came into the country through one of the land borders are being kept in isolation at Ejigbo, Osun State.
As at the last over 20 returnees have tested positive to the virus.
On Friday, 3 April, 2020, report went viral on social media that six of the returnees have escaped from the isolation centre.
The state government debunked this claim in a statement on Saturday, 4 April, 2020.
The statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mrs Funke Egbemode revealed that the report is far from being the truth.
The statement however, confirmed that one person was missing after headcount was undertaken on the morning of Saturday, 4 April, 2020.
Mrs Egbemode stated that the state government is already investigating the lone missing person among the returnees while his contacts are being traced.
Below is the full statement by Mrs Egbemode:
Our attention has been drawn to a story purporting that six persons were missing from our Isolation centre in Ejigbo.
One of the writers quoted a non-existent statement from the government to lend some measure of credibility to the story.
Nothing can be further from the truth. As a government, we have not issued any statement to confirm or deny such story. Besides, a quick check showed that the name and number of the first person on the list of the purported missing patients, is indeed currently in our facility in Ejigbo.
Recall that about a week ago, we received 127 returnees from Ivory Coast and we have kept them since then to avoid community transfer of the virus.
This morning we embarked on a headcount and found out that only one person could not be accounted for by officials stationed at the Isolation centre out of the 127 persons.
The State Government is currently investigating the matter and will ensure that the missing person is brought back to the Isolation centre and we will also ensure we trace all his contacts.
We want to reiterate that any official(s) found culpable will also be dealt with accordingly.
We implore members of the public to discountenance the alarm being raised. We will continue to do everything to protect the lives of our citizens in this fight against Coronavirus.
Signed
Mrs. Funke Egbemode
Commissioner for Information and Strategy
Osun State
