Thirteen members of the Imo state house of assembly have tested positive for COVID-19. Chinedu Iwuala, spokesman of the state task force on COVID-19, confirmed this to reporters on Tuesday.
He said after a member tested positive, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) decided to test the lawmakers and 13 more result came back positive.
Iwuala said the affected lawmakers have gone on self-isolation. But Emeka Ahaneku, special adviser on media to the speaker, said only three out of the 27 lawmakers members tested positive.
He said that many staff and members, who had undergone the test on Monday, turned out negative.
“It is true that there are incidences of COVID -19 in the House but they are not up to five. The number people are quoting is outrageous,” Nation quoted him to have said.
“A lot of staff and members were tested on Monday and results are yet to be released. So I don’t know where they are getting the number they are quoting.”
Last week, Collins Chiji, the speaker, had ordered a lockdown of the assembly complex after one lawmaker tested positive for COVID-19.
Chiji had said had said fumigation of the assembly complex would commence immediately.