As a preventive measure to check the spread of the dreaded Corona Virus known as COVID-19 in Rivers State, the state government has established what it called adhoc treatment centers across the State.
The Director Planning, Research & Statistics in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Chinwe Tonye Atata disclosed this during a press briefing at the weekend in Port Harcourt.
According to her, an adhoc treatment centers have been marked out in case of any eventuality, adding that the state rapid response team is presently reinforcing preparedness with stimulations for evacuation and triage at the centre.
Dr. Atata stressed that the ministry have in stock, sufficient quantities of commodities especially Protective Personal Equipment and Supportive drugs for therapeutic interventions in case of further challenges.
She assured that the health ministry is working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (especially the Ports health services), the National Centre for Disease Control and other relevant stakeholders to ensure maximum surveillance at all international entry points in the State.
Explaining further, she said the Surveillance at the International Airport Omagwa had been strengthened with multiple layers of screening from in-flight assessment to the use of thermal cameras for early detection of suspected cases as well as secondary screening for selected passengers in line with their protocol.
According to her: “All asymptomatic travellers from impacted areas coming into the state are placed on self-isolation for the maximum incubation period of the disease and monitored through the period at their destination within the state by assigned surveillance health officers without stigma”.
Dr. Atata advised members of the public to inform the state government officials if they noticed any individual with the symptoms of COVID-19, stressing that Rivers State at the moment was free from COVID-19.
It would be recalled that COVID-19 was first discovered in Wuhan Province on December 31, 2019 and since then there has been over 80, 000 cases globally but mainly in China and Italy with about 55 countries affected as at last week.
