By Balogun Damilola
Three persons who are members of the Ondo State COVID-19 team have been reportedly infected with the deadly coronavirus disease.
The victims who included a driver and two casual health workers were among the recent cases discovered in the state.
The state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, disclosed this on Monday while speaking with journalists at the government house, Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital.
According to the governor, the trio contacted the disease in the course of saving people’s lives at the Infectious Disease Hospital in the state.
Akeredolu explained that the driver’s duty was to take the samples to test centres while the two casual health workers worked at the IDH.
While reiterating the commitment of the state government to ensure that the trio recovered from the disease, the governor said after their recovery, the three persons would be rewarded by the state government.
He said, “Both the driver who carries samples to Test Centres outside the state and the two casual workers in the wards took the highest risk in helping their fellow human beings. They are our heroes. To live in service of humanity in preserving social existence and continuity is perhaps the greatest sacrifice for mankind.
“These three individuals are junior workers in that establishment, yet their contributions are critical and very essential to all our operations to fight COVID–19. They faced the daily risks of worst dimension with candour. At the end, they are infected with the deadly virus.
“To further demonstrate our understanding and total commitment to supporting the frontline risk bearers, I have directed immediate absorption into the public service of the infected casual workers at the IDH.”
The governor also said he had approved that all the health workers in the state be paid 50 per cent of their consolidated basic salary as hazard allowance.
“All healthcare workers working directly in the Isolation Centre/Treatment Centre are to get additional 20 per cent of their 50 per cent as special risk allowance, they will also get a top-up lump sum from the funds of the Presidential Trust Fund at the amount yet to be determined,” the governor added.
Efforcing the compulsory use of face masks in the state, Akeredolu said he had directed the security agencies in the state to arrest anybody found without facemasks at public places.
He urged the people of the state to stay safe and always obey the instruction of the government in the efforts to stop the spread of the deadly virus in the state.