…records one more death of unvaccinated person

BENIN CITY – The Edo State Government has called for the collaboration and support of all residents to contain the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, charging citizens to desist from submitting wrong information, including names, addresses and phone contacts during sample collection and testing.

Head of the State’s COVID-19 Case Management, Dr. Ebomwonyi Osagie, gave the charge while addressing journalists during the daily briefing on COVID-19 at the Government House in Benin City.

Osagie said the submission of wrong information during sample collection by residents makes it difficult for contact tracers to track down confirmed cases after laboratory results are released.

He said the state’s COVID-19 team has not been able to reach 87 persons who were recently tested due to wrong phone numbers and addresses.

According to him, “Edo recorded the death of one more person who was not inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine. The new death figure raised the total number of fatalities recorded in the third wave of the pandemic to 70.”

He noted, “In the last 24 hours, we collected 74 samples and recorded 36 new COVID-19 cases, 9 discharges and one more death, while our active cases stand at 732.”

On his part, Permanent Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Health, Dr. Osamwonyi Irowa, said vaccination is still ongoing across the 18 local councils of the state, urging residents to come out to get vaccinated in order to get protection against the virus.

“We appreciate Edo people for embracing the vaccination exercise as it’s a way of stopping the spread of the virus.”

He further stated that “the South-South Zonal Town Hall meeting on vaccination will be holding in Edo State on Saturday 25th of September 2021.”

According to him, “the town hall meeting will be an interactive session with the South-South key stakeholders. The event will also feature the inauguration of the Traditional Leaders Committee on PHC delivery in the South-South Zone. It’s an opportunity to meet with stakeholders and religious leaders in the South-South region of the country.”