More than 15 journalists serving in Akwa Ibom State Government House Press Corps have been fingered to be COVID-19 positive even as eleven of them have been moved to the isolation centre at Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo.
It was gathered that the problem started when a cameraman in the crew exhibited symptoms akin to those of the dreaded disease which a test later proved positive thus creating fear among the 24-member press corps crew.
Only last month, some online publications had reported that some commissioners in Gov Udom Emmanuel’s cabinet were Covid-19 positive. The governor had practically denied that story by bringing all his cabinet members to parade before 30 journalists during his press briefing at the Government House Banquet Hall..
But our source learned that the parade might have been a smokescreen to divert people’s attention from the rumour suspected to have had some of truth
It is equally feared that the camera man and other suspected cases among the press corps must have had contacts with some of government officials said to alleged been earlier infected.
Our source learned that some journalists, among them, two correspondents of national papers have been placed on a watch list by the officials of the state COVID-19 management committee.
The two correspondents have actually been given calls by the committee to be prepared to preliminary test on Monday morning since they have been name as some of the contacts of those already quarantined at the Ibom Multi Specialty Hospital.
However, the rumour gathered steam on Sunday when some journalists, particularly correspondents of some national dailies, were invited for contact tracing by the Ibom Multispecialty Hospital, Uyo.
Our source was told that journalists invited for contact tracing and possible testing are those who have recently attended press briefings addressed on COVID-19 by the SSG at the Government House and are suspected to have interacted with the said index cases.
On Saturday night, one e of the correspondents posted on his facebook wall, “Just received a call from Ibom Multispecialty hospital that I am being contact traced for Covid-19 “.
When contacted the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, promised to call back but he never did by the till of filing this report.
