Date: 2020-07-29

Four out of the 50 people arrested in the early hours of July 18 at a nightclub in Ilorin by the Kwara Technical Committee on COVID-19 have tested positive for the virus.

The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee on COVID-19 in the state, Dr Femi Oladiji, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ilorin.

"I have been formally informed that four persons have been confirmed to be COVID-19 positive and they have been informed based on the telephone numbers they submitted," Oladiji said.

He said that the affected persons had been contacted although they were yet to be taken to the isolation centre.

"If you are told about your result, it is left for you to come or not, we can't force you. There are so many people out there that are carriers.

"If we have not gone to arrest them, they would have been going about their normal lives.

"The best thing actually at this stage is preventive measures, the thing is so rampant and at the rate at which it is increasing, we can't hold anybody down except those that have symptoms.

"If you have symptoms, you have to seek medical attention, if you don't have symptoms, you will believe nothing is wrong with you.

"On the issue of spreading or not spreading, we emphasise on preventive measures," Oladiji said.

He maintained that majority of the cases in Kwara were asymptomatic.

"We have changed our strategy; so it is only when you have symptoms that you can visit us, if you don’t have symptoms, you self isolate at home," Oladiji said.

Oladiji said an holding area at the Sobi Isolation Centre provides a walk in free testing facility in addition to that of the Ministry of Health.

"This was what contributed to the sudden surge as people are now more conscious and more aware.

"We usually announce that you can get tested at will free of charge," Oladiji said.

He warned Nigerians to stop being lackadaisical about the pandemic, noting that COVID-19 had continued on its rampaging run.

"I laugh at some people's ignorance of the virus when they said that the state is just increasing the numbers to get more money.

"As I speak to you, two people are on danger list and we are praying that they survive.

"Our people should stop being ignorant and believe that COVID-19 is real," Oladiji added.