Edo government speaks on lady mistaken for fleeing COVID-19 patient

The Edo State Government has dissociated itself from a photo alleged to be that of a nursing mother who fled after testing positive for COVID-19.

Crusoe Osagie, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, made this known in reaction to a viral video of a lady who stated that her picture has been mistaken for that of the fleeing woman.

Osagie who issued a statement in regards the claim by the lady stated that those behind the publishing of her picture have undermined the government's effort at tracking the nursing mother.

He also stated that the lady whose picture has circulated on social media as the fleeing COVID-19 patient is a victim of fake news.

Osagie said: “Our attention has been drawn to a video on social media by a lady who claimed her photos have been circulated on social media wrongly as the nursing mother wanted for COVID-19 treatment by the state government.

“It must be stated that when government made the announcement, it only gave the name of the woman in question and her address and never released any photograph of her.

“We categorically stated that the nursing mother lives at No. 2 Atoe Idubor Str, off 2nd Ugbor, Benin City. With such detail, it would be impossible to mix up the person we are searching for.

“However, we understand that the action of the mischief-makers would have caused the lady in the video on social media undue psychological torment. We sympathize with her as, just like us, she is now a victim of fake news.

“Therefore, we use this opportunity to reiterate the warning on purveyors of fake news and misinformation to desist from such act, as their actions amount to undermining government’s effort to check the spread of coronavirus. This is punishable under the Quarantine Act Regulations, which is in force in the state.”