Coronavirus: Lagos begins chloroquine clinical trial this week — As Oyo records 31 Coronavirus infections, the highest in one day

Abiodun OBA

Lagos State #Covid-19 epicenter, will this week commence the clinical trial treatment of #COVID-19 using chloroquine as approved by #NAFDAC.

The state, which is the epicentre of the virus in the country, had previously disclosed plans to carry out the chloroquine clinical trial.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, in an interview with newsmen on Saturday, said, “We are ready for the chloroquine clinical trial because we have just secured all the approvals. The documentation has also been completed. Those that will be used for the trials are ready too. By next week we should be ready for the trial.

“Also, Lagos got a supply of additional 20,000 testing kits, although we were expecting 40,000. It means that the testing will increase now.”

Yesterday, the Lagos State Government discharged 15 more Coronavirus patients after they tested negative twice for the virus.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this in a statement, saying that those discharged included nine female and six male.

Of the patients nine were from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba; five from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and one from Agidingbi Isolation centres.

This brought to 623 the total number of Coronavirus patients discharged so far in Lagos.

Meanwhile,in what will go down as its biggest in a single day since the pandemic broke out in country, Oyo State recorded 31 new Coronavirus infections on Saturday.

Governor Seyi Makinde announced this in a statement, revealing that 30 of the cases came from workers of the same company in the state.

“The #COVID-19 confirmation tests for thirty-one suspected cases came back positive. Thirty of these cases are members of staff of the same organisation based in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. The organisation has been shut down and will be decontaminated.

“We urge members of the public to remain calm as the situation is under control. Intensified contact tracing has already commenced. We will give an update on any additional measures that may need to be taken,” he said.

The governor said the remaining one case was from Egbeda Local Government Area, adding that the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State as at 8pm on Saturday stood at 107.

“We advise the following categories of people who have not already done so, to register with the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, for the ongoing drive-through/walk-through testing at Adamasingba Stadium:

“People who believe they could have come in contact with a #COVID-19 case in Oyo State; People with #COVID-19 symptoms: cough, fever, tiredness, body ache and shortness of breath; people with respiratory disease symptoms; healthcare workers who have been in contact with the high-risk groups, above,” he said.

Makinde urged people to also call the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, if they find travellers from other states arriving in their community.