Governor of Abia state, Okezie Ikpeazu, has tested positive for COVID-19.
This was announced by the state commissioner of information, John Okiyi Kalu, commissioner of information in the state in the wee hours of Monday.
He said the governor had gone into isolation before his result returned positive, and that he has directed the deputy governor to act on his behalf pending the time he resumes duty.
On Saturday, 30th May, 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu volunteered his sample for COVID-19 test and subsequently directed members of the state Executive Council and those of the inter ministerial committee on COVID-19 to submit themselves for the same test.
On Tuesday, 2nd June, 2020 the result of Governor Ikpeazu’s test returned negative.
On Thursday, 4th June, 2020, the Governor submitted another sample at NCDC laboratory for confirmation and the result returned positive.
As a result, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has gone into isolation, as required by relevant NCDC protocols, and he is being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health.
Consequent on the above, the Governor has directed his Deputy, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending his full resumption of duties.
The commissioner of information used the medium to call on all Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious as the disease is real but not a death sentence, saying that the state has the resources to manage patients back to good health.