Kaduna Records Another Case of COVID-19
By John Shiklam
The Kaduna State Commissioner for Health Dr. Amina Mohammed Baloni, has announced that a new case of COVID-19 was recorded in the state on Sunday.
In a statement on Monday, the commissioner said: ‘’So far, the state has sent 89 samples to Abuja for testing, among which 5 samples were positive, 77 samples were negative and 8 samples are pending.”
She added that 119 contacts have been listed and further contact tracing is ongoing.
According to her, the state government has been taking vigorous actions to contain the spread of COVID-19 since February, by reaching out to the Chief Medical Directors of all hospitals in the state as well as daily evaluation of the pandemic and devising new ways to check the spread.
Baloni said further that the state Ministry of Health has set up an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), chaired by her and meets every day to take proactive measures.
She said the ministry has “reactivated and strengthened the Infectious Disease Control Centre (IDCC) by posting trained health workers to the facility, who are currently caring for our patients”.
‘’In addition, the ministry has also concluded arrangements for the take-off of an alternative isolation centre which has 69 rooms, where mild to moderate cases will be managed,” she said.
The commissioner also disclosed that the state government has concluded arrangements for the establishment of a testing laboratory in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, for quick diagnosis.
She advised that ‘’cooperating with disease control efforts will reduce the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19 and therefore, reduce the possibility of a community transmission”.
She called on traditional rulers, community leaders and religious leaders to ‘’continue mobilizing their people on the importance of hand washing, respiratory hygiene and obeying government’s stay-at-home directive, as well as maintenance of social distancing in order to avoid spread of the disease’’.
