The Enugu State Ministry of Health says the state has recorded two more confirmed cases of COVID-19, as announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
This was contained in a statement made available to Igbere TV on Sunday, May 24, following the declaration of 265 new infections in the country by NCDC.
It said while the first case evaded the inter-state lockdown and sneaked in from Lagos, the second case came in contact with her daughter-in-law who recently laid her husband to rest in Enugu.
“The total number of cases for Enugu State is now 18, with 10 active cases and 8 discharged,” the statement said.
“The first new case (Case 17) is a 45-year-old male who hails from Igbo-Eze North LGA of Enugu State and lives in Lagos State but still managed to make his way to Enugu State on the 21st of May, 2020 despite the inter-state movement restriction.
“Concerned members of his community alerted the health authorities, since he too was already ill, leading to his assessment and testing. His result returned positive for COVID-19 on the 23rd of May 2020.
“The second new case (Case 18) is the 62-year-old Mother-in-Law of Case 16, who has become a positive contact. Case 16 as earlier reported, evaded the inter-state boundary restriction, all the way from Lagos State and across several other states (obviously assisted by unscrupulous individuals), to bury her recently deceased husband in their community in Igbo-Etiti LGA of Enugu State,” the Health Ministry said.
The state government added “evading or assisting anyone to evade the inter-state movement restriction, is unlawful, of no known benefit, instead contributed to the rising number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state.
“Such actions are militating against the measures put in place by the Enugu State Government to prevent the spread of the virus and should be discouraged by all well-meaning inhabitants of the state.
“It is in our best interest to continue to comply with the directives of the Federal and Enugu State governments and the public health advisory of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, and the Enugu State Ministry of Health.
“This is a time to encourage family members or friends, especially if ill, to remain where they are and seek health care.
“To discourage family and friends who want to move the body of a deceased loved one several miles away in these times, for interment.
“To stay at home when it is not absolutely unnecessary to go out. Wear a facemask/covering whenever you must go out. Keep a safe distance from other people at all times, which is social/physical distancing and avoid crowded places. Practice good respiratory hygiene (when coughing or sneezing).
“Clean surfaces with a 1 in 6 concentration of bleach and water.
Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds under running water as often as possible. And when facilities for handwashing are unavailable, sanitize your hands as often as possible using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
“When You do these, you protect me, and when I do these, I protect you,” added Dr. Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu, the Enugu State Commissioner for Health.
