The Kwara State Government has announced that 75 people who had direct and indirect contacts with Kwara State’s suspected index case and two confirmed cases of COVID-19 have gone into self-isolation.
Among the 75 people in self-isolation are 28 staff members of the University of Hospital (Ilorin Teaching (UITH), who attended to the suspected Coronavirus patient before his death last Thursday.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who made the announcement in a press brief on Tuesday April 7, also confirmed that a senior consultant of UITH, Prof. Alakija Salami was suspended for his role in the admission and release of the corpse of a late suspected case of Coronavirus.
Abdulrazaq said “Contact tracing by the Rapid Response Team of the medical advisory committee has so far netted 75 persons who have had contacts with the cases, including the suspected case at the UITH. I have directed the immediate suspension of Prof. Salami and other officials of UITH whose professional misconduct brought us down this path. Our job is cut out for us and we are definitely not dropping the ball. Contact tracing by the Rapid Response Team of the medical advisory committee has so far netted 75 persons who have had contacts with the cases and the suspected case at UITH. This is a trying moment for the whole of mankind. But we are definitely not helpless or without reasonable preparation in Kwara State. We are also blessed with committed professionals who are up to the task and willing to stand up and be counted at this time — while also taking all precautions. COVID-19 is a global pandemic. Contracting it is neither a death sentence nor an indication of guilt. We urge Kwarans to avoid crowded space, isolate themselves, and call our helplines if they have just returned from places of interest in the last three weeks. The government will quickly extend the ongoing fumigation exercise to these places of interest, including Offa, where contamination may have occurred as a result of this infectious disease. Notwithstanding our preparation, we are not ashamed to say that Kwara State will be glad to get all the help it can receive at this moment. The government is utterly disappointed at the breach of trust that played out in the UITH case.”