Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi
THE Benue State Government has released additional N100 million to the State Action Committee on COVID-19 to curb the spread of the pandemic in the state.
This was part of the decisions taken today at the expanded State Executive Council meeting, presided over by Governor Samuel Ortom.
Also in attendance were members of the COVID-19 State Action Committee.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Information, Culture and Tourism Commissioner Mrs. Ngunan Addingi said N20 million will be used for the completion of an additional isolation centre in Makurdi.
Also yesterday, the Benue State Action Committee on Coronavirus stated it would conduct a post-mortem examination on a deceased footballer suspected to have died of the COVID-19 in the state.
Investigations by The Nation reveal the deceased footballer returned from Ghana seven days ago and went into self-isolation at his Edumoga village in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue state.
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It was learnt that while in isolation, he became ill and visited a hospital in his rural vicinity from where the medical personnel noticed he developed symptoms of the dreaded Coronavirus and referred him to the teaching hospital in Makurdi.
But, it was further learnt that instead of reporting to the tertiary hospital in Makurdi, his family decided to convey him to Abuja on yesterday during which process he died.
Confirming the incident, a member of the state’s committee on Coronavirus and the Commissioner of Information, Ngugan Adingi, told newsmen in Makurdi that the committee received the news of the suspected case yesterday.
“The guy came back from Ghana, went to his village and spent six days at his home town in Edumoga, so he fell sick and went to the General Hospital, Okpoga where he was referred to the teaching hospital in Makurdi.
He went to St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga and was admitted but decided to go to Abuja.
“Unfortunately, while the family was taking him to Abuja, he died on the way. We need to interact with his mum who took him. We cannot certify that he died of COVID-19 since he was not tested. But the committee has decided that we can do a post-mortem examination,” she said
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