Oyo imposes dusk to dawn curfew, closes markets after recording 3 cases of coronavirus

Governor Seyi Makinde has ordered dusk to dawn curfew and closure of markets in Oyo State, few hours after the coronavirus cases in the state increased to 3.  In series of tweets shared on Friday, the Oyo State Governor also announced a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people. All inter-state transportation has been suspended except for vehicles carrying food items, medical, pharmaceutical and petroleum products.

The outlined measures will be effected from Sunday night, March 29, 2020.  Governor Makinde also revealed that a state diagnostic centre has been set up in collaboration with the University College Hospital. Its certification by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is still pending at the moment.

  The statement read;  

The COVID-19 confirmation test for two suspected cases has come back POSITIVE. The isolation process has been initiated. 84 Persons of Interest have been identified, and contact tracing and collection of samples have commenced.The state’s diagnostic centre set up in collaboration with the University College Hospital is now ready. The @NCDCgov  certification is still pending but the Director-General of NCDC has made a pre-statement about the molecular laboratory in Oyo State. The index case remains stable and is still under observation in the isolation unit at Agbami Chest Centre, Jericho. The number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is now three. As a result of this, I have directed that the following additional measures be put in place: dusk to dawn curfew (7 PM to 6 AM); no gatherings of more than ten people should be held anywhere in Oyo State.

From Sunday night, March 29, 2020, all markets will be closed except those selling perishable food items. Also, interstate transportation into and out of the state will be suspended except vehicles carrying food items, medical, pharmaceutical and petroleum products. This takes effect from Sunday night, March 29, 2020. All measures will be reviewed on a weekly basis. As part of our COVID-19 sensitization programme, over 30,000 handbills in English, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa have been produced for distribution. We thank NPG Farms and Hatcheries for their donation of 1000 X 100 ml and 100 X 500 ml hand sanitizers to Oyo State. These will be distributed in markets from tomorrow.