Oyetola, in a statement by Mrs Funke Egbemode, Commissioner For Information and Civic Orientation, in Osogbo on Saturday, said the affected local governments were Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West.

The governor, who noted that the lockdown would be for seven days in the first instance effective from July 7, said the decision was the fallout of the meeting between the government and the stakeholders from the areas.

He said that the decision to impose the total lockdown in the areas was aimed at containing the spread of the virus in that axis of the state.

According to him, government has every reason to believe that the state is already witnessing what looked like community transmission in the area and as such there is need to come up with measures to arrest the trend.

The governor said during the lockdown, there would be no vehicular movement within the affected areas.

He said only those on essential duties such as health, fire service, environmental officials, security personnel, power and water supply agencies, media and telecommunication officers would be allowed to move around.

The governor also said that residents in the affected areas would not have opportunity to go to worship centres and markets during the period but would be allowed to shop within their neighbourhood.

Oyetola urged residents of the affected areas to take advantage of the hours between Saturday(today) and Monday to stock up provisions that would last them one week in the first instance.

He added that intra-state travel to and fro would not be allowed during the lockdown, warning that violators of the lockdown order will be severely dealt with.

Oyetola said government was also closely monitoring other local government areas with rising confirmed cases of the virus, adding that more areas might also be on the lockdown in the coming days.

The governor, however, said that the relaxation in other areas of the state had been extended by two weeks.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our curfew will still run from 9p.m. to 5a.m. daily in other parts of the state, except the locked down local governments.

“In furtherance to the above, for the other parts of the state, the ban on political, public, religious, and any kind of gatherings under whatever guise remain in force.

“While worship centres must adhere strictly to government guidelines guiding their re-opening. Government will not hesitate to shut down any of the worship centres that violates our guidelines,” the governor said.

The state has 151 confirmed cases out of which 59 treated and discharged and five deaths recorded. (NAN)