Bassey Inyang in Calabar
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has commended the Cross River State Government for taking proactive measures against the spread of COVID-19, saying from every indication, the state is free from the virus, which has infected about 6,000 Nigerians.
The NCDC stated this yesterday when a seven-member Response Team from the federal government agency visited the state to ascertain the state’s real status in relation to the spread of the COVID-19 in the territory occupied by a population of about four million people.
So far, only Cross River and Kogi states have not officially recorded any case of COVID-19.
Speaking in Calabar, the state capital, after listening to the report on COVID-19 in relation to Cross River State, the leader of the NCDC delegation, Dr. Omobolanle Olowu, said they have every reason to believe that COVID-19 has not spread to the state as a result of the swift response and proactive measures put in place by the state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, to keep the ravaging virus away from the state.
She said their visit has addressed a lot of anxiety about the controversy relating to COVID-19 and the state, especially the reports that made the rounds that NCDC officials will be quarantined, if they set their feet on the soil of the state.
“There was a lot of anxiety before coming to Cross River State, but I am glad we were given a warm reception.
“We are surprised at the level of work that has been put in place. So far, all the people we saw were all on face masks with different teams at various points in the state.”
“We had the fear of being quarantined but all that is over now as nothing like that happened. We want to believe that the measured pitch in place by the state has made the state COVID-19-free,” Olowu said.
Also speaking on the visit, a member of the NCDC Response Team, Nwachukwu William, said the early steps taken by the state in sensitising the people on the characteristics and nature of the spread of COVID-19 must have played a significant role in the current free status of Cross River State.
