[NEWS] Coronavirus: Lagos denies health commissioner tested positive

The Lagos State Ministry of Health said on Friday that Akin Abayomi, the commissioner for health in the state, has not tested positive for COVID-19 as being rumoured.

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the director of public affairs of the ministry, said the news making rounds on social media platforms that the commissioner was positive is fake.

He said Mr Abayomi is in perfect health and free from thecoronavirus infection.

A news emanated on social media on Thursday saying the commissioner had tested positive to COVID-19.

This was shortly after Mr Abayomi tweeted that 10 persons associated to the Lagos State House at Marina tested positive to the virus.

“The attention of the Lagos State Ministry of Health has been drawn to fake reports making the rounds that the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has tested positive to COVID19 infection.

“We hereby urge the public to disregard this absolute falsehood and fabricated report in its entirety. This is the hand work of mischief makers who are out to create unnecessary panic and fear amongst the populace,” Mr Ogunbanwo said.

“Prof Akin Abayomi is hale and hearty, in good health and has continued in his capacity as the Deputy Incident Commander of the COVID-19 Lagos Intervention to coordinate activities and response in order to break the chain of transmission of the infection in Lagos,” he added.

The ministry urged citizens to rely only on the official and verified communication channels of the Lagos state government, including the Ministry of Health for all COVID-19 related news and information.

Mr Ogunbanwo implored Lagos residents to stop sharing unconfirmed news.

Lagos recorded 183 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total cases in the state to 1,507.

A total number of 406 patients have also recovered from the infection in the state, while 33 deaths have been recorded.