Coronavirus

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues it’s harvoc across the country, the management of Ajaokuta Steel Company Medical Centre, Kogi state, has announced an index case. It has further resolved to shut down services temporarily in the health facility to carry out its disinfection.

These were made known in a memo issued on Thursday, by the management. Signed by Deputy General Manager, Saliu D.Y. the memo said a team of health professionals from Kogi State Ministry of Health has commenced contact tracing and sample taking for covid-19.

The hospital will be shut down from August 7 and normal services will resume on August 17. The memo reads in part:

“You may be aware that a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at the ASCL Medical Centre.

“The victim had since been moved to the Kogi State Specialist Hospital Lokoja under the watch of relevant agency.

“We had commenced contact tracing and sample taking for COVID-19 tests being conducted by a team of health professionals from Kogi State Ministry of Health Lokoja.

“In line with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols and guidelines all contacts had been directed to proceed on self isolation for 14 days and the entire hospital to be decontaminated to prevent infection and community spread.

“In view of this unfortunate development, the hospital will be shut down for services effective from 12:00 hrs on Friday the 7th August, 2020 to Sunday 16th August, 2020.

“Normal services will resume at 6:00am on Monday the 17th August, 2020.”

It will be recalled that the Kogi State Government and the Nigeria Centre for disease Control, NCDC are currently mending fences over their positions on the presence and handling of Covid-19 cases in the State. Whereas NCDC has said no State is free from the pandemic, the Kogi State Government has insisted its borders are immuned against the virus.