By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Commissioner for Health in Anambra State, Dr Vincent Okpala, on Thursday announced that it has identified 39 persons that had contact with the COVID-19 index case.

He said that three of the contacts were not based in the state.

Addressing journalists in Awka, Okpala said that the government was in contact with the individuals including the three that were out of the state.

He said: “The index case patient is stable and making progress. He has been helping the government with useful information on how to reach those who had contacts with him.

“As at Wednesday night, we had 39 contacts out of which three are not resident in Anambra, we are taking care of the ones here and we have contacted the states where others are staying to follow them up.

“We have made contacts with the ones here and are following them up on daily basis, some of them are quarantined in the various protective care centres, others are on self quarantine but we are monitoring them.”

While noting that government has not divulged the identity of any patient, Okpala said: “It is our ethical responsibility to protect the identity of these people including the index case and the hospitals.”

He stressed that the index case is stable adding that the hospitals have been decontaminated and contract tracing on going.