Governor Dave Umahi has ordered lockdown of the Ebonyi state Government House following reports that some top officials of state executive council have tested positive to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
According to reports, the names and positions of the affected members were not disclosed to the press but sources close to the Government House disclosed that major principal officers to the governor tested positive to the virus over the weekend.
The governor confirmed this development in a statement by the commissioner for information and state orientation, and acting commissioner, human capital development and monitoring, Barr. Uchenna Orji, on Wednesday night.
The statement lamented that the virus had taken a new shape in the state as it had penetrated communities. He announced that the state had, so far, recorded 75 cases out of over 3, 000 samples tested so far. He ordered all government offices to be shut down from yesterday, Thursday June 4, 2020 to Tuesday June 9 to ensure effective contact tracing.
He also directed all state executive council members and government officials, especially of the ministries of finance and budget to undergo COVID-19 test within the seven-day period.
While civil servants working in the state ministries of finance and budget are to go on self-isolation.
Governor Umahi appealed to all sons and daughters of Ebonyi state who are living outside the shores of the state to avoid the risk of returning to the state, as records have shown that the positive cases hitherto recorded in the state were those who returned from the epicentre states.
Governor Umahi further pleaded with the people to take seriously the NCDC COVID-19 Protocols, especially all precautionary measures such as hand washing, use of hand sanitisers, use of face masks, social distancing and avoiding of crowded places, more so as they have entered into another phase of spread of COVID-19 called community transmission.
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