NYSC clarifies report on corps members testing positive for COVID-19

The Zonal Coordinator, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) Southwest Area Office in Osun State, Mr Emmanuel Attah, has quashed reports making the rounds that a corps member in NYSC Ekiti Orientation Camp tested positive to the deadly coronavirus.

Speaking on Wednesday in Osogbo, Mr Attah in a statement signed and issued by him, described the report that a corps member has tested positive as ‘fake and being peddled by mischievous people”.

He further stated that the report which further added that the corps member has been moved to the State Isolation Centre situated at Oba Adenuyigbe Hospital, Anilosun, Ado-Ekiti was saddening, misleading and damaging.

Mr Attah said; “The attention of the NYSC has been drawn to a fake and unsubstantiated news making the rounds that a corps member presently in NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ise-Orun, Ekiti State has tested positive to coronavirus and has been moved to the State Isolation Centre situated at Oba Adenuyigbe Hospital, Anilosun, Ado-Ekiti.

“The said report was in bad light and it is orchestrated just to mislead Nigerians especially, parents and guardians of members of the service corps that are in NYSC Camps nationwide.

“With every sense of responsibility, I wish to reiterate the commitment of the scheme to continue to wage unrelenting war against whatever pandemic that may rear its ugly head near any NYSC formation nationwide with far reaching actions in order to guard against the contraction of any deadly virus by corps members.

“I equally wish to add that the corps member that was purportedly alleged to have tested positive was taken to a Laboratory in Ede, Osun State for comprehensive medical test to determine the veracity or otherwise of the damaging allegation and I am happy to inform the general public that the corps member tested negative to the dreaded epidemic.

“Once again, I want to repeat that no corps member has tested positive to coronavirus or any other disease in all the NYSC formations nationwide.

“Accordingly, newsmen should endeavour to seek information and clarification from NYSC management or the accredited spokesperson before going to public with such damaging news items.

“NYSC remains committed to the remarkable welfare and well-being of all corps members nationwide,” he added. (Ripples Nigeria)