Ekiti to test cough, fever patients for COVID-19

The Ekiti State Government has directed both private and public hospitals in the State to test all patients with fever, cough and catarrh for COVID-19.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani explained that the move is part of efforts to curtail the spread of the virus in the state.

He said the symptoms of the current wave of COVID-19 is similar to some other known and common diseases such as malaria and respiratory tract infection adding that it may also be asymptomatic.

The Commissioner instructed all Health facilities in the State to contact their respective Local Government Disease Surveillance Notification Officers (LGDSNO) for modalities to conduct the test on their patients.

He solicited the support of all stakeholders towards warding off the virus, emphasizing the need for the general public to cooperate with healthcare providers to achieve the desired goal.

Filani also warned that the State Government would not hesitate to sanction any hospital that fails to comply with the government’s directive.