Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said testing positive for coronavirus is not a death sentence.
Ikpeazu made this known in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information, John Kalu, on Monday.
Kalu, while announcing that the governor tested positive for the virus, urged “all Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious as the disease is real but not a death sentence”.
The commissioner explained that on May 30, the governor 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.
Ikpeazu’s test returned negative but a second test on June 4 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 statement read in part.