Governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom on Saturday announced that he is going into isolation as three of his top political appointees, Secretary to the State Government, Professor Tony Ijohor and Chief of Staff, Mr Terwase Orbunde and State Head of Service, Mrs Veronica Onyeke have tested positive to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Earlier, First Lady, Mrs Eunice Ortom, announced that her son and domestic staff have tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease.
Mrs Ortom, said in a press statement she personally signed in Makurdi on Saturday morning said that the NCDC notified her of the development through her test result that returned positive on Friday evening.
As proceeded into isolation alongside her son and one domestic, the First Lady appealed to everyone who came in contact with her in the last two weeks to go for COVID-19 test.
Governor Ortom told journalists in Makurdi. The Benue State capital, that the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Benue State University, Makurdi, Professor Godwin Achinge has also tested positive to the virus.
According to the Governor, “it is no longer news that my wife, one of my sons and staff tested positive to the virus too. The test was carried out about a week ago. When the result came out 35 persons in the State tested positive to the virus.
“My test result came out negative. But the medical officers said that another test will be carried out on me after three days. So, after this interaction I will isolate myself. I will be in isolation until I have clearance from the medical officers.
“COVID-19 is real and I enjoin my people to take the preventive measures seriously. I want my people to be alive and free from the disease. We have to stop the spread of the disease by maintaining all the COVID-19 protocols.”
The governor also urged Benue people to avail themselves for testing, stressing that the earlier the disease is detected the better.
“Even if one who tests positive to the disease has underlining ailments and the virus is detected early enough it will not kill the person. I want to repeat what my wife said in her statement that COVID-19 is not a death sentence. A lot of persons that tested positive have been treated and discharged,” he stated.