EBOLA:Osun sets up quarantine centres

Osun State Government has set up four quarantinecentres in four towns across the three senatorialdistricts in the state to treat anybody with the Ebolavirus in case the deadly virus spreads to the state.The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr.Rafiu Isamotu, said this in Osogbo on Thursday on
sidelines of the reception for workers at theMinistry of Environment following Governor RaufAregbesola’s victory at the governorship election.

Isamotu said the state government was doing everything to ensure that the virus did not find itsway into the state, but said the centres were set upin order not to be caught napping if the viruseventually gets into the state.He said part of the efforts to prevent the virus in thestate was the restriction of the Osun Osogbo Festival

celebration to only the devotees of the deity.

He said nobody from outside would be allowed to

take part in the ceremony which had been restricted

to the worshippers of Osun within the state.

Isamotu said the government had started training

health workers on how to protect themselves when

treating victims of the virus while adding that the

state had got protective gears and other equipment

to ensure that the virus was contained in case of its

spread to the state.

He said, “We are doing everything to ensure that the

Ebola virus is not brought into our state. We are

training our health workers on how to wear

protective clothing and what to do when treating an

Ebola patient.

“To ensure that the virus does not spread to others

in case it finds its way into the state. We have set up

centres in Iragbiji, Osogbo, Ejigbo and Irojo in Ilesa.

We have prepared these hospitals to be able to take

care of victims in case it comes into our state.

“We are not discrediting the claim of traditional

worshippers who said they have cure for Ebola. What

we are saying is that such a person with the cure

should go and contact the Federal Government in

Abuja where they would look at and examine such a

claim. Don’t bring Ebola patient into Osun State for

cure. The virus is highly contagious and it spreads

very fast so we don’t want it to be brought here.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment,Mr. Bola Ilori, warned anybody with the Ebola virusagainst coming to bathe inside Osun River.He said anybody caught doing so would be arrested

and taken to one of the quarantine centres to

prevent them from spreading the virus to others.