By MAUREEN OJINAKA

The Enugu State Government says it has recorded nine positive COVID-19 new cases, bringing the total confirmed cases to 27.

The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, announced this in a statement issued on Thursday in Enugu.

Obi, who corrected the misinformation from the last update, said that the last announcement that gave the total of 19 was in error.

“The Enugu State Ministry of Health wishes to correct the misinformation from its last update.

“It was announced that the total number of cases in Enugu State was 19, with six active cases and 13 discharged.

“However, an error from the reference laboratory was quickly detected and a case that was reported positive, on further investigation, was reconciled and confirmed negative,” he said.

According to him, the update on COVID-19 cases in the state is that there are three newly confirmed positive cases in the state, the previous day, and six newly confirmed cases late evening of Wednesday (June 3).

He added that another previously positive case has responded to treatment, tested negative and discharged.

“Consequently, the total number of cases of COVID-19 in Enugu State at the moment is 27 (13 active and 14 discharged, no death),” the commissioner explained.

Obi said the patient remained in quarantine for the period of clarification of the result.

“The quickly repeated test helped to avoid, for the individual, the experience of being wrongly admitted into an isolation and treatment centre,” Obi said.

He added that prior to this update, the state had recorded 18 cases, including five active and 13 discharged.

The commissioner further explained that case Number 19 was a 55-year-old male, from Enugu East Local Government Area, with no positive travel history.

According to him, Case 20 is a 17-year-old male from Udi Local Government Area, who had been exposed to an individual that had returned to Enugu briefly for a burial ceremony and had returned to Delta State where he tested positive for COVID-19.

“Case 21 is a 23-year-old female also from Udi LGA who had also been exposed to this same burial attendee as above that travelled to Enugu from Delta State, who returned and tested positive.

“Case 22 is a 25-year-old male from Enugu East, with no travel history.

“Case 23 is a male from 9th Mile in Ngwo, Enugu North LGA, who came into Enugu from Imo State a week ago.

“Case 24 is a female from Enugu North LGA.

“Case 25 is a 45-year-old male contact of case 19, with a history of international travel to an undisclosed country.

“Case 26 is a 66-year-old male from Enugu South LGA and a recent returnee, a few days ago, from Onitsha, Anambra State.

“Case 27 is a 55-year-old female university lecturer with a history of exposure to someone with symptoms of COVID-19,” Obi said.

The commissioner said that it was pertinent to inform the public at this stage that community transmission was gradually being established in the state.

“The Enugu State Government continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the State Ministry of Health also continues to treat its existing cases, respond to alerts, carrying out contact tracing and following up on suspects and probable cases.

“As the social directives of the Federal Government and the Enugu State Government gradually ease, the public health advisories of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Enugu State Ministry of Health, essentially remain and should be adhered to,” he advised. (NAN)

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