Former Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, says the COVID-19 is real in Kogi State, contrary to claims by the state government that the virus doesn’t exist.
In a statement made available to Channels Television on Saturday, Melaye noted that not only does COVID-19 exist in the state but also, one of the victims is someone who he knows personally.
“I want to announce that the COVID-19 case in Kogi is real and authentic and cannot understand why any responsible government will want to deny and invariably kill her citizens,” the senator said.
“One of the cases is from Kabba and the victim is personally known to me. I cannot be part of those who will play politics with the lives of my people. COVID-19 is real but not a death sentence if handled early enough”.
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Melaye, therefore, urged that family members of the Kabba victim who got referral to Abuja from the Federal Medical Center in Lokoja and all those who had contact with him should please surrender themselves for test so as to curtail the spread of the virus.
He also urged the state government to “come down from her imaginary high horse and start contact tracing to help curtail the spread”, adding that “it is illogical to think we will be free with our proximity to affected states”.
His comments come days after the state government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) differed on whether the state has recorded a COVID-19 case.
While the NCDC reported two cases on Wednesday for the state, the government maintained the results were “fraudulent”.
Senator Melaye is, however, not the only one who has faulted that claim.
The National Medical Association has also described the attitude of the state government on COVID-19 issues as “both ignorantly meddlesome and irresponsible.”
