Ondo Residents Panic After Learning Policeman Killed By Coronavirus Visited State Few Days Before Death

Residents of Ondo State have expressed deep concerns after learning that a senior police officer, who died of Coronavirus on Tuesday had visited the state capital, Akure, recently to see his family.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Francis Bissong, had come into Akure to spend the last Easter with his family from Edo State where he is stationed.

While in Akure, Bissong is said to have visited several parts of the city including officers’ quarters in the city to see some of his colleagues, thereby unknowingly exposing dozens of persons to the virus.

A close associate of the deceased told SaharaReportersthat death of Bissong to Coronavirus has continued to cause anxiety among policemen in Ondo and Edo states, who fear that they may have come in contact with the deceased before his death.

He said, “I am aware he came into Akure to see his family for Easter and spend some days with them.

“By Monday, he was not too feeling fine and I think he had to travel back to Edo to take care of his health.

“We even heard he visited some of his friends at the officer’s quarters because he had formerly served here in Ondo State.

“I see this as a serious problem because the man must have also had contacts with some of his friends while he was on the visit. He died of Coronavirus on Tuesday.”

While confirming his death, Edo State Commissioner for Health, Patrick Okundia, said it was not clear how the 58-year-old police officer got infected with the virus.

Okundia explained that there was no initial evidence or suspicion of Coronavirus until the illness got worse and Bissong was taken to the police clinic for treatment.

He said, “By the time the result came out, he was positive of the virus, before we could get to his house to move him to an isolation centre, we discovered that the man had died that same day.

“The result came after the man had died.”

Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, could not be reached for comments but a doctor at the Hospital Management Board told SaharaReporters that they were already tracing all persons, who may have had contact with the late policeman in order to quarantine them and reduce the spread of the virus.