The Osun State government has debunked the news making the rounds and creating unnecessary panic that six COVID-19 patients went missing from the Ejigbo Isolation Centre, stating that only one person was missing from the centre.
This was made known in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, and made available to newsmen.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a story purporting that six persons were missing from our Isolation Centre in Ejigbo.
“One of the writers quoted a non-existent statement from the government to lend some measure of credibility to the story.
“Nothing can be further from the truth. As a government, we have not issued any statement to confirm or deny such story. Besides, a quick check showed that the name and number of the first person on the list of the purported missing patients, is indeed currently in our facility in Ejigbo.”
Mrs Egbemode recalled that the state received about a week earlier about 127 returnees from Ivory Coast and they had been kept in isolation to avoid community transfer of the virus.
She added, “This morning we embarked on a headcount and found out that only one person could not be accounted for by officials stationed at the Isolation centre out of the 127 persons.
“The state government is currently investigating the matter and will ensure that the missing person is brought back to the Isolation Centre and we will also ensure we trace all his contacts.”
While reiterating government’s determination to bring to book any official(s) found culpable to have aided the escape of the missing person, the Osun State government implored members of the public to discountenance the false alarm being raised, adding, “We will continue to do everything to protect the lives of our citizens in this fight against Coronavirus.”
