By DIANABASI EFFIONG

The Rivers Government has directed all staff of Government House, Port Harcourt, to go for mandatory COVID-19 test to check the spread of the pandemic in the state.

A statement on Monday in Port Harcourt by Mr Paulinus Nsirim, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, explained that the directive was made by Gov. Nyesom Wike.

According to him, the on-going increased testing of prospective COVID-19 patients in the state is a commitment to save more lives.

Nsirim restated the governor’s conviction that more testing would reveal more COVID-19 cases in order to give prompt medical attention to the people.

“The more we test, the more the number will increase and we are willing to continue to test. Let our people know that this is not the kind of sickness to be ashamed of.

“Nobody knows who you have shook hands with. I’m sure, in Rivers State, we have lost not less than 38 lives on the record.

“Nobody will be happy that each day you wake up, you hear that somebody, probably a bread winner of the family, is no longer there because of COVID-19 pandemic.

“In fact, I have given a directive that all staff of Government House must go for testing. Nobody knows who is a carrier and we must save everybody as much as we can,” he said. (NAN)