Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
BORNO Commissioner of Health, Salisu Kwayabura, has said the state government has embarked on contact tracing of 210 people that had contacts with confirmed cases.
He made the disclosure when he gave update on the COVID-19 prevention and control yesterday.
Kwayabura lamented that the number of cases had increased in the state.
However, he said the COVID-19 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.
‘‘Confirmed cases in Borno stands at 41 as at yesterday afternoon with six deaths while 60 tested negative, he said.
He also disclosed that the technical committee team was reviewing the strategies of the team including setting up of an accreditation team
According to him, 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 disclosed as three COVID-19 related deaths were recorded between Monday and yesterday afternoon.
He said the victims came to the hospital with severe symptoms of coronavirus.
However, he declined comment on the death of Shehu of Bama.
“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 that the first class monarch died of COVID-19 complication on Monday.
The traditional ruler has been buried at Bama, his domain, yesterday morning in line with the protocol and procedure of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on coronavirus victims, the official said.