The Task Force Committee on COVID-19 in Imo State has said that contact tracing of active cases in the state is in full gear.

Briefing newsmen on Wednesday at the Task Force Office, the Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, informed that only 12 cases are active out of the 86 and that they are being treated at two different centres in Owerri: six at FMC Isolation Centre and another six at Well-being Centre along Orlu Road, also in Owerri. The gender spread, he said, is three females and nine males.

Prof. Iwu further informed that the contact tracing of the active cases is in full gear as all suspects are yet to be reached.

He reiterated that Imo State has not yet recorded any official coronavirus death from those in the Isolation Centres of Government. He, however, regretted that a case of COVID-19 death was reported on Saturday in Imo State of somebody who died in his house, but whose blood sample tested positive to the pandemic.

The Chairman said that when new cases are identified or reported they are evacuated from their homes to a Well-Being Isolation Centre from where they are distributed to other Isolation Centres to avoid congestion and multiple spread.

Prof. Iwu urged anyone that has the trace of infected persons or suspects to the coronavirus disease to report to the committee, emphasising that the virus is real, even though many are still in doubt of its existence.

He reassured that his committee is not relaxing on its oars as the members are daily stepping up testing and sensitisation to ensure that Imo State is safe from the unknown enemy.

Prof. Iwu reiterated that three categories of people are mostly endangered in this fight and they are persons 65 years and above, people suffering from diseases or other ailments and the third group, health workers who come in contact with the COVID-19 everyday in the line of duty.

• Prof. Maurice Iwu, Chairman, Imo State Task Force on Covid-19 briefing newsmen on the recent update