By Gabriel Enogholase – Benin

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki,has disclosed that  the state plans to screen over 500,000 citizens across the 18 Local Government Areas of  the state within the next few weeks.

The screening of the citizens is coning on the heels of the securing of  two additional testing facilities at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City by the government as part of increased efforts to detect and manage cases of corona virus (COVID-19) in the state.

The governor. who said that the government was working assiduously to contain the scourge, urged residents to adhere to directives on good hygiene and safety, including regular washing of the hands, use of sanitizers and observing social distancing.

He said, “We want to screen up to 500,000 citizens in Edo over the next few weeks, and I am pleased to inform you that we now have two additional testing facilities in Benin City, where we plan to test up to 5,000 citizens. We will review our current policies when we obtain sufficient data and evidence from the screening and testing.”

“For emphasis, I want to urge you to continue to observe the hygiene and safety precautions, particularly the regular hand washing under running water, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and the observation of social distancing practices. Most importantly, please stay at home as much as

possible and protect the people around you.”

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