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Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri and Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Borno State said it will step up campaigns on social distancing and other measures to contain spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) especially with increasing record cases.
Commissioner of Health, Dr Salisu Kwayabura while giving an update about COVID-19 on behalf of the committee on the prevention and control of the virus state, expressed concern on the increase in confirmed cases.
Borno has recorded 53 cases and nine deaths since April 18 when it had the first (index) case.
“We want to intensify our campaigns on social distancing. We need to intensify contact tracing. We have recorded high mortality in the last few days,” the commissioner said.
He explained that all the nine persons that died as a result of COVID-19 complications, had “premobid medical condition.”
Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Bello Masari has ordered a total lockdown of Kankia, Matazu and Musawa local government areas following confirmation of nine additional COVID-19 cases in the state.
This brings to a total of 39 confirmed cases with two fatalities including that of the index case from Daura.
A press statement on Thursday by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, said the lockdown would take effect from 7 am on Friday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) having established a case of COVID-19 in each of the affected areas.
Meanwhile, six out of the 14 Covid-19 patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina have been discharged and sent home, according to the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Bello Suleiman Muhammad.
Muhammad who spoke with reporters at the Government House on Thursday said that the patients were hospitalised for about 19 days.
