Ondo State Government yesterday said it might be forced to lock down the state again if the number of COVID-19 cases kept increasing.
The state has recorded four deaths and discharged 21 patients while eight patients are currently receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Akure.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Special Duties and Strategies, Dr. Doyin Odebowale, gave the hint of another lockdown during monitoring of Jumat services in mosques.
Over 160 persons who might have come in contact with three new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state are currently being traced.
Odebowale said at the several mosques visited, physical distancing was not thoroughly observed but worshippers without nose masks were not allowed entry.
He said the COVID-19 Committee would meet with Muslim leaders in the state to enlighten them more on the need to observe protocols.
“We have been engaging the leadership and we hoped there will be an engagement.
We expect them to improve on. There was not much so distancing and we are not satisfied.
“We will get in touch with the leadership. We are getting more cases and we are not happy. We don’t want a situation where the government lock down the state again. If it continues, the government will lock down the state,” Odebowale said.