Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
    Kebbi State Government has refuted insinuations in some quarters that a member of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)  serving in the state has been infected with the novel covid 19 (Coronavirus).
   The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ja’afar Muhammad,who is also   Chairman, Task Force for control of COVID-19 in the state refuted the insinuations on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi during a press briefing .
Muhammad explained that the state had not yet recorded any case of Coronavirus stresed that, the briefing became necessary following social media reports circulating, that a member of National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in the state had  contracted the virus.
“The 27- year – old NYSC member that was alleged to have contracted the virus was diagnosed at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kebbi on March 24, and the result turned out to be pneumonia, not Covid-19 as falsely speculated.
“The corps member was presented from the NYSC camp with a history of fever, cough and body pain at FMC  with no history of travels outside the country or any contact with suspected or confirmed case of Covid -19 in the last two weeks preceding his presentation.
“He has been admitted and managed as a case of Community Acquired Pneumonia of which he has made satisfactory progress and is awaiting discharge,” he said.
According to him, in view of the circumstances surrounding his admission, his sample has being taken and the result is being awaited.
Muhammad said that the result would be made available in the next few days for proper confirmation and urged the people to remain calm.
” There is no need to panic as all our teams are on red alert, routinely and diligently providing all the necessary needed services.
“We have since swung into action as regards surveillance and rapid response mechanisms,  to complement the existing healthcare structures in the state.
“Sub committees have been set up by the Task Force, to fine-tune plausible strategies and measures against Covid -19,” he said.
The Commissioner, promised that, the task force would update the people regularly through the media, as well as other communication outlets .
 Muhammed warned members of the public to desist from spreading false information on coronavirus in the social media which may cause unnecessary palpable apprehension and anxiety in the minds of residents of the state.