Prof Danladi Otu, SSG, Plateau State.
By M. Peter – Jos
Plateau state government has appealed to citizens to avoid unnecessary journeys as the state records four cases of COVID-19.
Plateau state has facilitated the testing of more than 650 people for the COVID-19.
Secretary to the State Government, Professor Danladi Atu, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nimkong Lar and his Information and Communication counterpart, Dan Manjang at a joint COVID-19 update session on Wednesday in Jos, lamented the various ways citizens are devising to beat the total lockdown.
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They said that government is stepping up efforts to checkmate them to avoid community spread of the virus.
The SSG noted breaches at the State borders, saying that some people were abusing government pass.
He said more than 100 defaulters of the lockdown order were convicted on Tuesday.
“New pass which are time bound would be issued and officials on essential duty who arrived the borders at 6pm would have to spend the night at the border until 7am the next day so that they could be checked by the medical team as it was discovered that some of them smuggle people into the State at night.”
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The Health Commissioner added that, “so far, 650 people have been tested for the disease in the State, the index case about to be discharged and the other three cases responding to treatment while contact tracing is ongoing to avoid community transmission.”
He stressed the need for community people to alert government whenever a member returns from a journey and cautioned against self medication saying, “ginger and garlic and all these things do not treat COVID-19.”
Manjang on his part debunked the rumor of untimely response to distress calls saying government is doing its best to keep the State safe and solicited citizens’ continued support.
