Minna
In what appears to be a total lock down of the state, the Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubarkar Sani Bello has announced curfew of between 8a.m and 8p.m to check the spread of Corona virus which has claimed its first Nigerian casualty in the early hours of today.
The Governor, in a state broadcast on Monday, announced other measures which include total ban on street begging, hawking and as well compulsory provision of hand sanitizers in all public places.
These are ministries, agencies, boards and parastatals, starting as from Wednesday.
Duaglobalnews reports that there is no case of the corovirus so far reported in the state as at the time of this report.
Bello further ordered that except those on essential duties, all civil servants on GL 1 to 12 were to remain indoors.
According to him, the proactive measures are geared toward checking the spread of the pandemic disease.
Governor Bello also said his administration enforced the new order as a preventive measure, as advised by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), especially social distancing and hand washing routines.
He said:”The state government is collaborating with Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on effective means of sharing information on how to prevent the possible spread of the disease, should there be an outbreak.
“As a proactive government, the state has resolved to create awareness and respond promptly to any case of the outbreak.
“As from Wednesday, March 25th, 2020, the state shall observe daily curfew from 8:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m till further notice.”
“The general public, including market men and women, must practice social distancing and hand washing with soap regularly and hand sanitizing when and whichever applicable.”
The Governor urged traditional rulers in the state to ensure that all almajiri schools remain closed.
Bello, who also announced the reactivation of lsolation Centre at the Minna General Hospital and Isolation Rooms in General Hospitals across the state, further warned, “all forms of street hawking and street begging are by this directive banned.”
“We have prepositioned drugs, medical supplies and personal protection equipment at the Isolation Centre in Minna.”
“Sensitisation of our clinicians on epidemic prone diseases is ongoing while treatment protocols are also being circulated,” Bello said.
He assured that the state government had strengthened surveillance system to detect any case of COVID-19, including investigation and monitoring of any outbreak.
“The Public Health Emergency Operation Centre is at watch mode and enhanced surveillance is already in place,” the governor further assured the people.
The Governor, who had earlier ordered closure of public, private schools and tertiary institutions across the state on Monday, said cmmunication, through the relevant media organisations to that effect had commenced.
The online reports that all public gathering of more than 20 persons, including places of worship became prohibited from March 23, while Ministries, Departments and Agencies must provide hand washing items and sanitizers at their entry points.
Duaglobalnews further reports that over 1 billion people, globally, are now indoors as part of concerted efforts to prevent the spread of the disease to other parts of the world.
The pandemic disease has registered presence in more than 150 countries, records 220,000 cases with more than 10 deaths while about than 70,000 were said to have recovered.
As at the time of this report, Nigeria has recorded 30 cases of Coronavirus with one dead.
