COVID-19: Borno State Confirms 11 Deaths, 69 Cases, 16 Health Workers Infected

By Sadiq Abubakar, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri

The Chairman High Powered Reapinse Team on Prevention and Control of the spread of Coronavirus in Borno state who is also the State Deputy Govenror, Alhaji Usman Umar Kadafur has announced today Saturday in Maiduguri during the daily media update briefing that the response Committee so far recorded 11 Deaths.

He added that the total number of patients with positive cases has increased from 53 to 69 as at Saturday including 16 Health workers working under the covid-19 on over 233 contacts .

Addressing Journalists at the multi.purpoae hall of the Government House Maiduguri Saturday evening on the latest situation on ground, he said the committee has been working assidously round th clock within and outside the state capital to ensure the disease does not spread. He further stated that the medical or Surveillance teams were able to contain the situation and brought it under control.

According to him, the situation has informed the need to expand and increase the number of Isolation Centers and facilities in Maiduguri and other parts of the state to enable medical team attend to issues over there without taking the pain to travelling distances to reach Maiduguri city with patients or samples .

He however appealed to the general public to be very mindful of the consequences and danger posed by the deadly disease which has no cure yet and easily attack people that has respiratory problems.

Speaking also at the briefing, the State Commissioner for Health who is also the Secretary of the High Powered Response Committee on Coronavirus 2019, Dr. Aliyu Salisu kwaya Bura explained the reasons behind the increasing number of mortality rate from the coronavirus disease in the state, pointing out that certain sicknesses or ailments already with some individuals like diabetes, HP, typhoid, asthma, chest disease or pain, nymornia, high fever and kidney disease are prone to COVID-19 infection.

He therefore urged the media to educate and enlighten the public on the need for proper personal hygiene, wearing of face masks, maintaining social distancing even at burials and continue to obey the standing rules in COVID-19. While announcing change on the daily media update by the Response Committee from daily to only Mondays and Thursdays every week for the updates on the COVID-19.

The commissioner also solicited for cooperation and understanding of the media in the coverage of the COVID-19 and activities of the State Government's High Powered Response Committee in order not to create panic and mislead the the public.

The State Commissioner for Informatiion and Home Affairs, Babakura Abba Jato on his part appealed to Journalists to continue to give the Committee and COVID-19 full coverage and inform the public appropriately, the situation on ground as the Committee and government have no hidden agenda and have concern for it's people.

He also enjoined the media to continue to inform, educate and create awareness among the people on the use of face masks, social distancing, hand washing with soap and avoid social gathering even in the mosques and churches by ensuring continuous compliance of government order on lockdown.