No COVID19 case in Niger-Commissioner
Minna
Niger state government says the state has no Coronavirus case while suspected case,brought in from Lagos died of tuberculosis few days ago.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammad Makun-Sidi, made the declaration while briefing journalists on the rumoured case of COVID 19 in the state.
“We have a case of a man brought into the state from Lagos, he was suffering from tuberculosis and he died four days ago,”he said.
Niger state government has put in place measures to check coronavirus across the 25 local government areas. “We have our call centres across the 25 local government areas where you can report any strange or unknown ailment for immediate action,”he added.
The commissioner dismissed the talks about coronavirus case in any part of Niger state as nothing but mere rumour, adding that the second rumoured case of corona virus involved a Pakistani citizen working in Zungeru who later died of cardiac arrest.
“Another case we had,which heightened the rumour of COVID19 in Niger state is that of a Pakistani, he is a driver of bulldozer working with one of the construction companies in Zungeru who died of cardiac arrest.”
As part of measures to guarantee safety of citizenry, the commissioner said the state government had intensified enlightenment campaign,on the need for people to avoid crowded places.
Makun-sidi called on the people to report any strange ailment to the nearest health facility as part of multi-faceted approach at ensuring safety for all.
“Corona virus has no particular presentation at inception and that is why we seriously advocate serious precautionary measures.
” We tell people to avoid crowdedness, haae their sanitiser handy and avoid sneezing openly, especially when in public places and to always have their handkerchief handy whenever sneezing.”
“The state government has set up Disease Simulation and Notification Offices in all the 25 Councils and we have an isolation centre in Minna General Hospital.
Makun-Sidi further explained that corona virus, like Lassa fever and meningitis,were very dangerous hence, the need for the state to be proactive against the disease which the World Health Organisation has declared as pandemic.
Duaglobalnews reports that Nigeria now has now right cases of Coronavirus while the disease its presence in over 80 countries, recorded about 200,000 cases, over 60,000 deaths globally.
Meanwhile,the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the state has closed down its permanent orientation camp in Paiko,for fear of COVID 19).
State Coordinator of the scheme, Mrs Funmilayo Ajayi, said the closure was a directive by Director-General of NYSC.
The management of the scheme had orderef all orientation camps across the country to be shut as preventive and precautionary measures against coronavirus.
The online medium reports that some of the Corps members, however, expressed mixed feelings over the directive.
