Coronavirus: Delta locks down Warri, Koko, Sapele, Oghara, Asaba ports

TRACKING____Delta State government has beefed up security at the Warri, Koko, Sapele, Oghara and Asaba sea and airports as a proactive measure to prevent the spread of the infectious coronavirus disease that hit Lagos state last week.

The state maintained that anyone caught will be detained, isolated and observed under intensive care.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Onoyen, supported by his counterpart in Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, and experts from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) during a sensitisation briefing in Asaba said the measure became necessary because the disease has a global outlook and the ports are the major points of entry for suspected carriers.

The Health Commissioner said the state had fastened adequate security measures against the disease at Warri seaport, the Osubi Airstrip and the Asaba Airport, and the seaports at Koko, Sapele and Oghara.

He lamented the rising cases of the disease in China and how it crept into Egypt, an African country before it gained entrance into Lagos state through its port.

He said, “why the sea and airports? These are the usual places where travellers and foreigners who are carriers can gain entry into the state and the country. Screening of travellers had since commenced in Asaba airport. Our people should be conscious and diligent in good hand washing and respiratory hygiene to prevent the virus.”

While he said the state government fought the outbreak of lassa-fever disease to a standstill as only one person died out of the 62 reported cases of the disease, from which 15 were medically confirmed, Aniagwu said there was no cause for panicking in the state.

“We are not raising alarm that coronavirus has infected anybody in the state. We not taking action to make citizens of the state panic. It is a death sentence. It is not as bad as Ebola. We are out to sensitive our people on good personal hygiene to curtail the spread of the dseaese in Nigeria”, Aniagwu said.