COVID-19: Borno traces 210 contacts

 Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Commissioner of Health,  Dr Salisu Kwayabura while giving an update on the COVID-19 prevention and control on Tuesday said the number of the pandemic cases had unfortunately increased in the state. He, however, said the COVID-19 high-powered team was working hard to contain its spread.

“We are following up 210 individuals with contact tracing and full support of the community,” Kwayabura revealed.

He disclosed that the technical committee of the COVID-19 team was reviewing the strategies of the team including setting up of an accreditation team to accredit more test centre. He said the team had identified a facility at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) to accelerate testing procedure.

“We are exploring all possible means to have more testing centres in the state,” he said. He disclosed that three COVID-19-related deaths were recorded between Monday and Tuesday afternoon, adding that the victims came to the hospital with :severe symptoms of coronavirus.”

He, however, declined to announce if the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibrahim El-Kanemi was among the COVID-19-related death despite promise to furnish the public with the information through the media.

“I’m sorry, I am not able to disclosed the cause of the Shehu of Bama death. The ethics of my profession would not allow me to divulge such information,” he said though the same official had announced the death of the COVID-19 index case last Thursday.

A government official and sources at the UMTH confirmed to The Sun the first class monarch was suspected to have died of COVID-19 complication on Monday.

The traditional ruler has been buried at Bama, his domain, on Tuesday morning in line with the protocol and procedure of the Nigeris Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on coronavirus victims, the official said.

The confirmed cases of coronavirus in Borno stands at 41 as of Tuesday afternoon with six deaths and about 60 testing negative.