55 test negative for COVID-19 in Borno as 14-days lockdown begins 

Timothy Ola, Maiduguri

The 55 persons were among the initial 104 contacts with the index case, a health worker who was confirmed to have died of the virus last weekend in Maiduguri.

Deputy governor and chairman of the high-powered team on the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the state, Usman Kadafur, at a press briefing said a total of 65 persons had been so far tested, adding that new cases were also recorded bringing the total confirmed case to nine as of Wednesday night.

“The nine positive cases have been captured by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC),” Kadafur disclosed while giving the update.

He also said the state recorded a new death from an infected person brought into Maiduguri from Biu, Borno southern town.  He said the patient who travelled from Lagos to Gombe where he became sick before he was brought to Biu eventually died of the coronavirus disease.

He said the state had collected 11 samples from some contact persons in Pulka, Gwoza local government where the deceased index case was working before he was brought to a public hospital in Maiduguri.

He appealed to the people to cooperate with the government and obey the 14 days lockdown which began on Wednesday night. He said the restriction order was to help the state trace all contact persons and contain the spread of the disease.

He said government was planning some palliative measures to ensure people do not suffer during the lockdown. He also asked people to show empathy and love to COVID-19 patients, noting that the disease was not a dead sentence but can be treated.

The state commissioner of Information, Babakura Jatto, announced some emergency telephone numbers through which members of the public can report or make contact on any COVID-19 case. These numbers are 09072127272 and 09068685158.