COVID-19: Nasarawa traces 74 contacts linked to late lawmaker

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By Gambo Jagindi

May 05, 2020

COVID-19: Nasarawa traces 74 contacts linked to late lawmaker

Nasarawa State Government said it has traced 74 contacts directly linked with the late Hon. Adamu Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa Central, APC), who died from complications related to coronavirus.

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, disclosed this in an opening remarks during an expanded meeting to review measures put in place to control and contain the further spread of COVID-19, at the Government House, on Tuesday.

Engineer Sule revealed that urgent steps were taken to track and identify all those who had direct contact with the deceased, especially from his hometown of Nasarawa, including his immediate family members and all those that participated in the lawmaker’s burial rites.

According to the Governor, the number of the contacts traced however does not include those of his colleagues or associates at the state assembly, but that work is still ongoing to trace additional contacts who may have links to the 74 direct contacts.

“Our team is currently in Nasarawa taking samples of all the members of his family. The 74 contacts are all in Nasarawa and has nothing to do with the contacts he had at the assembly,” he stated.

He explained further that out of that number, samples from 10, who are considered high risk, were taken for test.

Engineer Sule added that the House of Assembly has been fumigated as preventive measure.

He stated that Keffi has been added to high risk areas because of the number of positive cases isolated at the FMC Keffi, stressing that the decision was also taken to designate Keffi high risk area because health workers may have come in contact with the deceased.

Updating stakeholders at the meeting, Engineer Sule said the state has recorded 12 positive cases, from the previous 11, following the report of another positive case of an NCDC driver working in Abuja but residing in Ado.

He gave a break down of the cases as follows: Lafia, 2, Obi, 4, Keffi, 4 and Karu 1.

Engineer Sule expressed satisfaction that all the precautionary gears ordered by the state government have arrived Lafia, the state capital. These include, 50, 000 imported face masks, 50, 000 face masks bought locally from the NYSC, additional 30, 000 face masks donated by the Kenyang Mining Company, 6000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), as well as four monitors donated by Access Bank.

Commenting on the state’s isolation and holding centres, the Governor said so far, there are 10 separate rooms where the infected patients are receiving treatment, with additional 100-bed capacity isolation centre fully equipped.

He added that at the Shabu isolation centre, 96 beds have been fixed and ready for use, while at the FMC Keffi, there is a 10-bed isolation centre for the infected.

On the holding centres, where returnees are being quarantined, Engineer Sule disclosed further that the NYSC Camp in Keffi is currently being turned in a holding centre, just like the Isa Mustapha Awai Polytechnic, which can hold 100 persons.

He added that a section of the College of Education Akwanga will also be turned into a holding centre for 60 persons, with the Akwanga General Hospital has an isolation centre for 8. Also, in Karu, there is a 25-bed isolation centre.

The Governor also used the opportunity to clear the air regarding the over 100 Almajirai returned to Taraba State, adding that the Taraba State Government has intervened and accepted the returning Almajirai.

“I want to use this opportunity to show great appreciation to the Governor and his Deputy, for accepting the over 100 Almajiri in Taraba,” he stated.

The Governor equally used the opportunity to show appreciation to traditional rulers in the state, members of the state executive council, who have worked so hard to ensure that the Almajiri were evacuated, with so far 788 of such returned to their states of origin.

Engineer Sule further announced that the palliatives from the Federal Government, comprising of rice, potatoes and vegetable oil have arrived the state, just as he reaffirmed that the 40 trucks earlier donated by COCAVID will arrive the state next week, delayed mostly due to difficulties loading the food items.

“Since the Chairmen are here, we will also discuss during this meeting about the distribution, so that people who are facing some measure of hardships, will begin to receive these food items, because this is the moment they will require these foods” the Governor stated.

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