Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has made the use of face mask compulsory in public as the state has recorded another case of Coronavirus.
The governor said the second case, being a medical practitioner, has thrown a new challenge into the contact tracing management of the disease in the state, as now there is the possibility of a wide range of contacts.
Fintiri made remarks during a statewide broadcast in Yola, Adamawa state.
”At this point I hereby declare that the wearing of mouth and nose mask is compulsory for all citizens whenever they go out and in all public functions.
“Our Disease Surveillance Officers are in all the Communities and they are there to serve you,” Fintiri has said in a statewide address.
With the new case, the state has so far recorded a total of two confirmed cases.
The governor noted that the new case which is not connected to the index case presents another difficult challenge in the management of the disease as fear of community infection heightened.
”What is striking about this case, is the fact that it is not linked to the index case.
“Last week, we sent 8 samples to Abuja. 5 were direct contacts of the index case as traced; while 3 were new suspicious cases who were showing symptoms.
”Having additional case in the State is truly worrisome.
“More disturbing is the fact that the victim is a Medical Doctor in one of our hospitals in Mubi, who must have had contact with many people in the course of discharging his duty lawfully.
“This indeed places on our shoulder, a herculean task of contact tracing which is not only tedious but strenuous.
“While the contact tracing is no doubt daunting, more scaring is the fact that we may be sliding into the most dangerous phase of the pandemic, which is Community transmission of the virus.
”It is on note that our Index Case is a returnee from Kano; and therefore we are certain of how the disease was couriered into the State.
“But when the case is a doctor, resident in a public hospital with access to colleagues and countless patients, the level of Community Infection can best be imagined.
”Fellow citizens, this calls for both caution and action. It reinforces the need to stay safe and adhere to the pandemic’s prevention and management etiquette.
“Stay at home; if you must go out, wear your mouth and nose mask; uphold personal and environmental hygiene; avoid overcrowding; maintain social and physical distancing; be vigilant and raise alarm whenever you notice any symptom on a neighbor, a family member or yourself.
“This will go a long way in early detection and possible isolation, where necessary.
“At this point in time, what is required is care not fear, hope not despair,” he said.
The Adamawa state ministry of health had earlier confirmed the second case of Coronavirus virus in the state in its situation report.
The second case involves a thirty two year old man who was presented with cough, fever and body weakness prior to investigation and sample was collected on the 21st or April, 2020.
The report explained that the second case is however unconnected to the index case as it involves a health worker from Mubi south, in Adamawa state.
The report also points out that a total of twenty six cases have been investigated, two have been returned as positive, thirteen returned as negative and eleven are still pending.
A total of 94 contacts have been registered, while 84 are under follow up and about 9 others are yet to be seen.