Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has confirmed that his wife, Mrs. Eunice Ortom and Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Anthony Ijohor, SAN, have tested positive to COVID-19.
The Governor in a press briefing Saturday also confirmed his Chief of Staff, Mr. Terwase Orbunde, and the state Head of Service, Mrs. Veronica Onyeke, among others as having tested positive to the virus.
Governor Ortom who announced that though he tested negative, the first family had decided to go into total isolation including himself, urged people of the state to go for testing to ascertain their status and take necessary action.
“One lesson that I want Benue people to appreciate and understand is that everybody has to make himself available for testing. The more you test, the more you know your status; when you know that you are positive, then you can subject yourself to treatment.”
When asked if government was considering another lockdown, the Governor said the state Action Committee on COVID-19 would sit early next week to review the situation with a view to considering next line of action.
He noted that testing positive for the virus was not a death sentence and urged people to take preventive protocols seriously in order to help stop the spread of the virus.
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Earlier, the wife of the Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom had issued a statement confirming her status and one of her sons and calling on all those she might have come in contact with to go into self isolation and subsequent testing.
In the press statement she personally signed, Mrs Ortom said “few moments ago this evening, I received my result from the tests earlier carried out on me by NCDC personnel on routine screening at Government House, Makurdi which returned that I and my son, and some staff are COVID-19 positive.
“We have from this moment, gone into total isolation as required by the protocols and would immediately begin the management treatment as adviced by medical experts.
“While I have taken the responsibility to personally call everyone I can recall to have had recent contact with to go for testing, I advise any one who has had close contact with me in the last two weeks and the public to go for screening and testing.
“I wish to reiterate that being COVID-19 positive is not a death sentence as evident by the many recoveries recorded thus far so there is no need to panic, but we should continue to be responsible in our actions so as to keep others safe.”
She encouraged people to take preventive measures to be protected and be safe by observing the primary protocols; wearing of face masks, constant washing of hands, maintaining social distance and staying indoors if not necessary to go out.