Paul Orude, Bauchi

Following rumours of unexplained mass deaths in Azare town in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Governor Bala Mohammed has ordered a total lockdown of three local government areas in the state.

Governor Mohammed, announcing the lockdown at a press briefing/update on COVID-19 on Sunday, explained that the lockdown became necessary following rumours of unexplained deaths in Azare.

“We have reviewed the rumour about Azare. It is not true. About 150 died in Azare at an average of about 8 deaths per day and most of them we have found causes of deaths resulting from hypertension, childbirth and other diseases. It is not true that people are falling and dying. Even if that is the situation we are moving there as a government,” the governor said.

He said that the three local government were close to Kano and Jigawa states and Hadejia town, where there are cases of COVID-19.

The governor said that COVID-19 tests returned from Azare, Giade and parts of the state showed that there were 44 cases out of which Azare had 27, saying the spread was as a result of community transmission.

He said that following the news coming out of Azare, the state is enforcing a total lockdown of Katagum, Giade and Zaki.

He said the 10-day lockdown would enable the state government to enhance contact tracing, quarantine those who are infected, spay and decontaminate the towns and carry out mass testing of residents.

The governor, who directed the Deputy Governor, Baba Tela, to move to Azare immediately for the period of the lockdown, called on security operatives, especially the Military Garrison Command in Azare, to assist the government to enforce the lockdown.

He said all stakeholders, including traditional institutions and local unions, have been informed while adequate bed spaces have been secured at the Federal Medical Centre Azare and the CBN built Opthamological Centre that has about 150 beds.

He said that while the Deputy Governor is in Azare, he would take over the responsibility of the Deputy Governor’s Committee on COVID-19.

He announced that so far Bauchi State has a total of 183 people infected with COVID-19, out of which 177 are active, six discharged and one death confirmed from Azare.