Dr. Mohammed Lawan, Yobe Commissioner for Health, has advanced reasons for the 471 deaths recorded across different communities in the State in the past three weeks amidst fears that the deadly COVID-19 virus may have been claiming lives in the State without notice.
Lawan, who is the Vice Chairman of the state’s COVID-19 Committee, said the deaths were not due to the global pandemic, according to preliminary report of the investigative response team constituted by the government.
He said 90 per cent of the deaths had no multiple case definition symptoms of Coronavirus disease, while further noting that most of those that died were elderly people.
He said: “57 per cent of the total deaths had an underlying chronic illness, which include fever, hypertension, diabetes, renal disease, maternal mortality and accident victims.”
“Sixteen of the 471 deceased relatives revealed someone with similar symptoms, and all were investigated and referred to a facility, while three out of the 16 met case definition of COVID-19.”
The Health Commissioner added that that contacts were traced and placed on self -isolation while their sample were taken and are currently waiting for results for those suspected to have died of complications from COVID-19.