Osun State Government on Saturday said one patient in his coronavirus isolation centre was missing, even as it denied reports that six of those in isolation centre in Ejigbo had fled the facility.

A report early Saturday had claimed six of the 18 coronavirus cases, who returned positive among 127 returnees from Ivory Coast had left the isolation centre.

But Osun State Government in a statement by Funke Egbemode, the commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, dismissed the report and said after headcount, only one person could not be accounted for.

The statement read in parts, “Our attention has been drawn to a story purporting that six persons were missing from our Isolation centre in Ejigbo.

“One of the writers quoted a non-existent statement from the government to lend some measure of credibility to the story.

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“Nothing can be further from the truth. As a government, we have not issued any statement to confirm or deny such story. Besides, a quick check showed that the name and number of the first person on the list of the purported missing patients is indeed currently in our facility in Ejigbo.

“Recall that about a week ago, we received 127 returnees from Ivory Coast and we have kept them since then to avoid community transfer of the virus.

“This morning we embarked on a headcount and found out that only one person could not be accounted for by officials stationed at the Isolation centre out of the 127 persons.

“The State Government is currently investigating the matter and will ensure that the missing person is brought back to the Isolation centre and we will also ensure we trace all his contacts.

“We want to reiterate that any official(s) found culpable will also be dealt with accordingly.

“We implore members of the public to discountenance the alarm being raised. We will continue to do everything to protect the lives of our citizens in this fight against Coronavirus.”