COVID-19: RSG Intensifies Contact Tracing Of Index Case

The Rivers State Government says it has intensified efforts in tracing those who had contacts with the 19-year-old female model that tested positive for the novel Coronavirus in the state in a bid to prevent more persons from contracting the disease.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, and Chairman of the state Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, stated this during a live radio programme in Port Harcourt, last Saturday, and monitored by The Tide.
Nsirim also clarified that the state government did not ban church programmes but emphasised that government only directed religious leaders to scale down their activities and observe social distancing.
He explained that as a proactive leader, Governor Nyesom Wike did not wait for Coronavirus to hit the state before he set up a five-man inter-ministerial committee to mobilize and enlighten Rivers people on the pandemic.
“We did that with the media and developed Radio and Television jingles, and set up billboards. We distributed handbills, had stakeholders’ engagements with relevant stakeholder groups to ensure that these messages got to the grassroots before we had the news of the pandemic hitting Rivers State.
“Now, His Excellency does not want this Coronavirus to spread. That is why he has also introduced all the painful measures of border closure, market closure, to ensure that social distancing is appreciated by the people living and doing business in Rivers State.
“Now, for the index case that has been recorded, government has ensured that contact tracing is going on and to make sure that it doesn’t spread to other people living and doing business in Rivers State.
“I try to explain to people who have been calling me everybody in Rivers State, now is vulnerable because of the index case that we have. The young lady that came into Port Harcourt came in a flight with some people. Those people are scattered all over this state now.
“The lady stays somewhere with her parents and siblings. They have had contact with people. You don’t know who they have had contact with, and the governor, in his wisdom, is saying ‘let’s restrict movement so that we can do what it takes within our powers to ensure this thing is contained’.
“I can assure you that the relevant authorities and those who are given the mandate to tackle this epidemic are doing their best, having full cooperation of those that are involved in the contact tracing, and I believe very strongly that the cooperation they are getting will help us to tackle this pandemic here.
“The treatment centre is fully functional, and the index patient is doing very well. So, now, it behoves all those living and doing business in Rivers State, to comply with the various measures that have been put in place, including security agencies who will be manning the various border posts to ensure that the restriction order is actually implemented to the letter.
“The governor has also set up a 12-man task force headed by himself, because it is something he takes dear to heart as a patriot. He doesn’t want to delegate this responsibility. He set up a 12-man task force he is heading, has all the service commanders, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Health and myself as secretary, as one that will go round and ensure compliance.
“All commissioners and special advisers have been directed to move to their various local government areas, be part of the enlightenment drive, and to also ensure and enforce all the directives up to the ward level. That is where we are as a state right now, and we believe strongly that with the cooperation of all those living and doing business in Rivers State, we will overcome this challenge,” the commissioner said.
On the perceived misunderstanding concerning church activities, Nsirim reiterated that the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, only directed that the number of persons for every service should be reduced.
“Government cannot ban churches from holding their programmes. His Excellency is a peoples’ leader. Before a pronouncement was made on this matter, all the religious leaders were called to Government House for an interaction. At that forum, the pros and cons of everything were weighed, and the decision was that for smaller churches, let the services not go beyond 50 persons per session.
“For the bigger ones, a 100 or so that we can maintain social distancing in these churches,” he stated, adding that “churches must provide places where people can wash their hands and possibly provide sanitizers and equipment to check temperature of those entering the church”.
On alleged reports that people were being allowed into the state despite the Executive Order by the governor for the closure of all land and sea borders, Nsirim said, “That information has filtered in and government is investigating. The governor cannot be at the border posts.
“This is a responsibility that he has delegated to the security agencies to handle. So, it will be quite unfortunate if there is a compromise at the borders,” Nsirim said, noting that appropriate punishment will be meted out to anyone found culpable in sabotaging government directives.

By: Dennis Naku