iSON: How a private company turned Oyo into COVID-19 danger zone

By Toby Prince

From merely 17 cases in over a two-month span, Oyo State has degenerated into a COVID-19 hotspot in the last week, now chasing a third century. It isn’t rocket science; a privately-owned virus-fisted company is behind this sudden surge.

When the coronavirus first took to Nigeria’s shores in February, Oyo was never envisaged to be a danger zone despite its close proximity to the epicentre, Lagos and Governor Seyi Makinde being one of the first patients. The Federal Capital Territory and Ogun State had all the gloom projections.

And so it was. The highly prevalent contagion took heels to the nation’s capital and Ogun in full speed like spinning tires on a Ferrari running through the gears. The infection swelled, prompting the Federal  Government to place both alongside Lagos on lockdown.

Governor Makinde was even accused of sloppiness and downplaying the virus. He hosted the Peoples Democratic Party rally in Ibadan early March. Critics believe he was very sluggish to enforce measures to contain the spread and when he eventually did, there were no palliatives. Although unconfirmed, the governor’s stand may be justified.

As of April 23, Nigeria had recorded 873 cases and 28 fatalities with the majority in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Ogun. In Oyo meanwhile,  only 17 were confirmed, of which one died and another was transferred to Lagos. Ten persons were also discharged after testing negative twice, leaving only five active cases.

Fast forward to exactly one month later, infections has jumped to 233. Put in proper context, Oyo’s flaunt an alarming 7 per cent infection rate, with nearly eight persons testing positive daily in the last 30 days. The last stat doesn’t really hold water though as a bulk of the infection has come from the same origin in just one week.

On May 17th, Makinde announced 31 new cases. However, 30 of those were staff of a particular company in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. Authorities promptly shut it down but this marked the beginning of a new chapter.

“The COVID-19 confirmation tests for thirty-one suspected cases came back positive,” the governor said. “Thirty of these cases are members of staff of the same organisation based in Ibadan south west local government area.

“The organisation has been shut down and will be decontaminated. Intensified contact tracing has already commenced.”

While the state government maintained sealed lips, the company stepped up to alert its customers. iSON Xperiences, an internantional customer care service provider said it was taking measures to curb further spread.

“Some of our employees tested positive for COVID-19 at one of our Centres in Ibadan,” it said last week. “Employees with suspected risks have undergone the necessary test and have been placed in isolation under the supervision of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Together with the authorities, we will ensure the full return of our employees to good health for their eventual resumption back at work.”

However, a return to work doesn’t seem feasible. Hours after the first announcement, eight more workers tested positive, bringing the number to 38. The figure rose further to 57 when, by May 18th, 19 more workers of the factory returned positive. The tally rose again to 63, with six more confirmed cases. The figure had jumped to 105 as of May 21, from 78 on May 20.

Another 11 tested positive on Friday, taking the tally to 116. And out of the 30 cases confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Saturday, 27 were staff of iSON. Governor Makinde confirmed this in a tweet.

” Nine confirmed COVID-19 patients have received their second NEGATIVE test results and have been discharged. This brings the number of discharged cases in Oyo State to fifty-eight,” he wrote.

“Also, the COVID-19 confirmation tests for thirty suspected cases came back POSITIVE. Twenty-seven cases are from iSON Xperiences and one each from Ibadan SW, Ibadan SE and Oluyole Local Govt Areas. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State as at 5.30PM today is 233.”

This takes positive cases in iSON to 143. The company alone accounts for 61 per cent of infections in Oyo State, nudging it all the way up to seventh worst-hit only behind Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Katsina, Borno and Jigawa States.

iSON, meanwhile, has recorded more cases than 25 states in the country. In fact, it is  placed 13th in the overall ranking, slightly behind Gombe (145) and above Sokoto (116).

Yet as frightening as it may seem, worst may be ahead. iSON boosts a staff strength in thousands and customers in 10 folds, especially community transmission on the rise.