Dokpesi, daughter-in-law, six other family members test positive to Coronavirus

Ihekweazu urges Nigerians to learn to live with COVID-19
Owner of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi and his daughter-in-law along with six members of his family have tested positive to the Coronavirus. This is coming three days after his son and Chairman of the board of the company, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, also tested positive for the virus.
A test conducted by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on the Dokpesi family came out positive for eight members of the family.
High Chief Dokpesi and the affected family members have been evacuated by the NCDC to the isolation centre at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, where his son is already receiving treatment.
Speaking on Friday shortly after the arrival of the NCDC Ambulance, High Chief Dokpesi said he was feeling well. “I am quite OK, I feel very well,” he said, an indication that his condition is still asymptotic.
On Monday, the Chairman of the DAAR Board was the first to test positive for COVID-19 after symptoms which he said were similar to malaria. But following persistent bouts of cough, he decided to reach out to the NCDC. His test later turned out positive.
Contact tracing immediately commenced with his family members including his father, High Chief Dokpesi and members of his household.
The test was later extended to senior management and members of staff who had been in close contact with the company’s index case.
The FCT Health Authorities had also carried out an immediate fumigation of the entire DAAR Headquarters building sitting aloft the Kpaduma hills in Asokoro District of Abuja.
Meanwhile, the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has told Nigerians they will have to learn to live with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pending when a vaccine will be found.
He made this declaration while addressing the issue of stigmatisation towards those that have been infected with the coronavirus, especially when a staff of Daar Communications, at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, complained that staff and people related to the Chairman and founder of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who tested positive for COVID-19, were being stigmatised.
According to Dr. Ihekweazu, “Concerning stigmatisation for persons who are infected with COVID-19, and maintaining the balance between social distancing and stigmatisation, it is really unfortunate. Imagine what will be happening in the other parts of the country if this is really happening in Abuja – in homes or communities where individuals have been affected.
“We are in the beginning of a journey and the most likely scenario is that until we have a vaccine, we will have to learn to live with COVID-19 in our country. So, if we start stigmatising each other, I don’t know when it will stop because the same people that are stigmatising one group will end up being infected tomorrow.
“We have to tell ourselves the truth about this and encourage each other that there is no point stigmatising people because all of us are vulnerable to catching the infection.
“We can do our best but we must always remember that it is a virus; we cannot build a wall, so anything can still happen despite our best efforts.”