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… Explains discrepancy between NCDC, Borno’s figures
… No face mask, no entering markets Monday, Thursday
Of the investigative tests carried out within the last 24 hours, no positive case was recorded in Borno state, commissioner of health and secretary of the state’s high powered response team for prevention and control of covid-19, Dr Salisu Kwayabura has said.
Speaking at the team daily media briefing on Saturday evening, the commissioner also announced that 17 persons in Pulka, Gwoza local government area, identified to have made close contacts with the first (index) case have all tested negative to the virus.
He explained that a surveillance and investigation team had initially identified 35 individuals with contacts to the index case, but from further analysis, only 17 persons met the medical criteria for tests to be carried out on them.
The commissioner however noted the state recorded one more death from the 15 positive cases recorded as at Thursday.
… Discrepancy between NCDC, Borno’s figures explained
At Saturday’s briefing, Dr Kwayabura explained that the NCDC actually rely on states for their national update, and not the other way round.
He said the NCDC update was due to communication gap as normally the NCDC calls states to get confirmatory updates.
The commissioner said there was no question about the fact that there are 15 cases in Borno and of them, 7 patients are receiving medical attention at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and 5 patients are at Brigadier General Abba Kyari Isolation centre, managed by the state government, also in Maiduguri. Remaining three cases are the deaths recorded.
No face mask, no entering markets Monday, Thursday
Borno’s covid-19 response team has accepted and approved a recommendation by Governor Babagan Umara Zulum for the statewide lockdown to be relaxed coming Monday and Thursday for citizens to shop for food, Commissioner of Information, Baba kura Abba Jato announced at the briefing.
The team however explained that it is taking measures to ensure strict social distancing during the days and part of the measures is to enforce the use of face masks as conditions for entrance into major markets, particularly in Maiduguri metropolis which is highly populated.
Commissioner of health, Dr. Salisu Kwayabura who announced the measures, said the response team plans to make face masks available at market entry points alongside hand sanitizers to be applied by shoppers at entry and exit points at major markets.
Transport commissioner, Tijjani Abubakar said the response team will be meeting management of major markets in Maiduguri and unions of tricycles and taxi operators to discuss strict adherence to social distancing during Monday and Thursday relaxation of lockdowns.
Commissioner of water resources, in his comment at the briefing, reiterated that cart water vendors (masu moya) and sellers of sachet water are allowed to serve citizens during lockdowns even though they must maintain strict social distancing.