Edo Speaker Explains His Recovery from COVID-19

Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye, on Thursday revealed how he recovered from COVID-19 after 21 days in isolation without infecting anyone with the deadly virus.

Okiye, while speaking to journalists in Benin-city, disclosed that all he did to prevent infesting his aides, family and friends with the disease was strict adherence to government guidelines, especially on social distancing, compulsory use of face masks among others.

The Speaker was the index COVID-19 case in the state, and is among the 10 patients who have fully recovered and discharged after testing negative twice for the virus and treated with support from the state government.

Okiye, therefore, urged residents of the state to complement the state government’s efforts at checking the spread of the virus by making themselves available for the ongoing screening and testing in various centres across the state.

He said: “I came into the country from London through the international airport and down to Benin airport with my aides, and moved to my house; I was in self-isolation for about three weeks and none of my aides, family members or friends was infested.

“That was made possible because I insisted on adherence to all precautionary measures, including social distancing, regular hygiene, and sanitisation of the environment. I ensured that if you had anything to do with me, you must wear a face mask. I was an index case and didn’t infest anybody, and I am certain that if we had 10 people like that, the virus wouldn’t have spread as we have it today.

“I want to appeal to you, my brothers and sisters, to be part of this screening and testing exercise going on in various centres across the state, as it will help to curtail the spread of the virus. If you know you are infected, you become conscious so that you don’t have to infest other people. If you test negative, it gives you a clear idea of who you are; you then need to be more careful so that you don’t contract this deadly virus.”

 Expressing his appreciation to the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government and the state medical team, Okiye said: “Edo State under the leadership of Obaseki has performed excellently in terms of management of this pandemic. Even before the state recorded the index case, they had put all structures on ground, increasing sensitisation and awareness against the spread of the virus. The governor has continued to show that he is concerned about the health and wellbeing of all Edo people.”