The Anambra Government says the first post treatment result of its first patient of COVID-19 from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has returned negative.
Gov. Willie Obiano made this known on Saturday in Awka, while giving update to the residents on contact tracing and progress of the index case.
“One week ago, I announced to you that our dear state had recorded an index-case of the Covid-19 pandemic that has forced the world to a standstill in the past few months.
“I assure you that my team and I had made necessary arrangements to give residents a fighting chance against the pandemic.
“Today, I am delighted to announce that the report reaching me from the Protective Care Centre indicates that our index case is responding very well to treatment.
“In fact, the first post treatment result from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) returned negative for SARS-CoV 2.
“However, following the standards, which have been rigorously applied by NCDC since the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria, he will go for a second round of test before he can be conclusively declared negative.
“We shall continue to remember him in our prayers as he fights his way back from this illness,” the governor said.
Obiano said that the medical team had tracked 39 people who had direct contact with the index case through contact tracing.
According to him, out of the 39, five are in Protective Care Centre, while the rest are quarantined at home.
“People in our Protective Care Centre are stable and have shown no symptoms of the virus so far.
“Similarly, the people in Home Quarantine are being closely monitored in strict compliance with the World Health Orhanisation (WHO)’s guidelines on Covid-19 containment.
“Meanwhile, six people of the 39 contacts have tested negative for Coronavirus.
“These are people who met directly with the index case 14 days ago. This is something to be cheerful about.
“Similarly, out of 20 samples tested for the virus from Anambra State so far, only the index case returned positive. The rest are negative,” he said.
The governor said he had accented to the Anambra State Covid-19 Prevention and Eradication Bill recently passed by the State House of Assembly.
Obiano also said he had exercised his Covid-19 Prerogative of Mercy by releasing 54 prisoners from the four correctional facilities in the state to decongest the facilities.
He said that the state government would distribute 400 bags of rice to each of the 181 communities in the state as palliatives to the youth to alleviate the effects of Covid-19 lockdown.
Obiano, however, urged residents to continue to imbibe social distancing, maintain a thorough personal hygiene and obey government directives and policies on the Covid-19 pandemic.
