Ogun Government on Thursday conducted community to test and screening for residents of Magboro in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Magboro Community in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area lies along Lagos/Ibadan expressway with the majority of residents working in Lagos State.
The COVID-19 screening held at the Community School, Alamo, Magboro, started around 9.a.m. and had an ambulance stationed alongside some health workers.
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The Medical Officer of Health, Obafemi Owode Local Government, Ogun, Dr Jelili Bakare, told NAN that the screening of the residents of the community was important in view of its proximity to Lagos State.
He said that the community had borders with Lagos State which prompted suspicion and the testing.
“This is the reason the Ogun State Government designed this community screening and focus more on those communities that are close to Lagos State.
“So far, the screening has been useful for us to know how the COVID-19 trend is, and to also create awareness about the deadly disease and to tell them that it is real.
“The cases of COVID-19 is still low in Ogun State because of the awareness and the cooperation as well,” he said.
Dr Bakare said that the result of the previous test conducted in one of the communities came out with only one positive COVID-19 case.
“From our record, out of 500 people that we have tested in Ofada Community, going from ward to ward, we have only one COVID-19 positive case so far.
“We have been able to achieve these low cases because people have been complying with the guidelines as set by the government which includes, lockdown, social distancing, and hand washing.
“So far in Magboro with the result from over 100 tested, we only have two medium cases which we will further take to the laboratory for test.
”The test result is in three stages – low, medium and high cases – but we have yet to see any high case of COVID-19,” he said.
Dr Bakare said that the COVID-19 screening being carried out were in six stages, adding that the team had been equipped with necessary instruments for testing.
“We have here our mobile infra-red thermometer, some testing equipment that is manned in the six stages of the screening.
“I hereby urge the people to continue to abide by the government rules and guidelines which include wearing of face masks, hand washing, lockdown and social distancing.
“People should also continue with the positive lifestyles so that as we are gradually moving out of lockdown, we won’t witness a sporadic increase in the cases of the COVID-19 pandemic cases,” he said.
A resident of the area, Mrs Toyin Ajayi, commended the state government, adding that such an initiative would give people the confidence of their status.
“This is a good initiative by the Ogun State Government because we all need to know our status, I am only appealing to people to come all out for the screening,” she said.
NAN reports that though the turnout was low, some residents were seen on the queue waiting to be tested while some who have had theirs quickly left the centre.