Following the discovery of two COVID-19 cases in the state, the Abia state government has urged residents of the state not to panic as the government is on top of the situation.

Deputy Governor, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, who made the appeal during a radio programme in Umuahia, explained that the state government has put modalities in place to stop the spread of the virus in the state.

He warned against spreading fake information that the two COVID -19 cases in Abia are not real and urged residents to maintain social distancing and wash their hands regularly with soap and running water.

In his words; " The two patients are elderly people between the ages of 70/72 years respectively and have no previous travel history in the recent past. People wonder where they might have contacted the virus but I assure Abians that the state government is on top gear to trace the origin.

People should maintain social distancing, and wash their hands regularly with soap and running water. Wearing of face mask is now compulsory in Abia state."

The deputy governor disclosed that the state government has set up a committee to visit the three council areas; Ikwuano, Ukwa West, and Umuahia North, where the index cases may have associated with people for contact tracing.

Emphasizing that the lockdown on the state borders are still in force, Oko Chukwu urged the security agencies guarding the borders to resist bribe from motorists and maintain the directive of the state government to check the spread of the pandemic.

vanguard