Four Govs Down With COVID-19 As Ebonyi’s Umahi Tests Positive

Governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi has contracted the deadly Coronavirus.

The governor disclosed his status on Saturday in a statement personally signed by him.

He said the test conducted for him by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) came back positive.

This brings the total number of governors who are on isolation over coronavirus to four.

Earlier, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) had contracted the disease and proceeded on isolation.

He added that some of his aides of have also tested positive but he did not disclose their identities.

Consequently, the governor asked his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, to take over the coordination of the state’s fight against the pandemic.

Also Read: Despite Being Down With COVID-19, Akeredolu Refuses To Hand Over To Deputy

Umahi, who said he is asymptomatic at the moment, implored the people of Ebonyi to take the NCDC protocols more seriously.

He said for now, he would work from home and attend meetings virtually.

After sending his sample for test, Umahi had said his deputy would coordinate the fight against COVID-19 if his result came back positive.

“If I test positive, my deputy will carry on with the fight as a frontline worker, but we will be extremely careful and use zoom to do our jobs. No retreat, no surrender! We will fight this COVID-19 matter to the end,” he had told cabinet members in Abakaliki, the state capital.

“We will have the public hearing on our proposed plan of the COVID-19 fight next week and either me or my deputy will head the meeting, and I will contribute through zoom, if I test positive.”

According to the NCDC, Ebonyi has recorded at least 438 cases of the virus, as of Friday evening.

Also, about 357 persons have been successfully treated and discharged while three have died.