COVID-19: Ondo’s first death had underlying renal condition

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By Adekola Afolabi

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has attributed the first COVID-19 death in the state to underlying renal condition of the patient.

The governor who disclosed this at Government House Ground, Akure during his weekly media briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic said the underlying renal condition of the patient made treatment and recovery more complicated.

He revealed that the victim, who died early Monday morning was one of the three new imported cases recorded in the state in the past week, which increased the total confirmed cases to 16 in the state.

According to the governor, the victim arrived Ipe Akoko in Akoko South East Local Government Area on April 27 from Lagos, despite the border lockdown.

“His arrival was reported to our health workers who tested him immediately. The result received four days ago confirmed him positive, and he was immediately moved to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Akure where he was diagnosed with renal conditions. This made treatment and recovery more complicated”, he added.

Governor Akeredolu, however, on behalf of the government and the people of the state, expressed condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones, and prayed for the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Governor Akeredolu commended health workers in the state for their invaluable sacrifice, diligence and exceptional sense of duty, saying “to put one’s self in harm’s way for the benefit and survival of others is the greatest sense of sacrifice, and to show humility, give unfettered support, encouragement and prayers is the highest form of gratitude.

“To further encourage and support our medical workers at this time, I have directed the immediate payment of all outstanding emoluments of all our Doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital.”

The governor also enjoined parents to disregard false directives purportedly issued by the Federal Government on resumption of schools, advising parents to keep their children safe at home, work with them to obey self hygiene, social and physical distancing regulations.

Governor Akeredolu who also expressed concern over the rate at which traders, commercial drivers and motorcyclists caused breaches on major roads in the state capital, directed his Special Adviser on Transport and the state Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps to collaborate to ensure the ease of passage of human and vehicles at Oja Oba, Isinkan and Arakale in Akure as well as other city centres in the state.