Gyang Bere, Jos
The Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong has refuted the trending news in the social media alleging that there was an index case of confirmed Corona Virus in Jos North Local Government Area of the State.
Lalong in a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dan Manjang said since the circulation of the fake news, there has been rising concern and anxiety within and outside the state.
“One Hassan Sale, an influential personality from Gangare area of Jos, in Jos North LGA, an ally of Senator Bala Muhammad, governor of Bauchi State, has developed symptoms similar to those of Corona Virus (COVID-19) having come in contact with the governor recently.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the government of Plateau State wishes to state unequivocally that this assertion is false amounting to a misinformation.
“Prior to this rumour, however, the Ministry of Health, Plateau State swiftly acted by taking the specimen of Hassan Sale and sent same for examination.
We are happy to announce to Plateau people and indeed to the whole world that both the preliminary and the confirmatory results of the specimen standing in the name of Hassan Sale are negative.
“In the light of this development, therefore, Government wishes to call on all and sundry to discountenance such misinformation and also state categorically that as at this moment, there is no known case of Corona Virus found in Plateau State. “
He said that the government is working day and night through all its response Committees to ensure the enforcement of all measures put in place to safeguard the people against the disease and ensure that Plateau State does not record any case.
The governor in another development has also said that his administration is working hard to secure a centre for the test of COVID-19 disease in the state.
Lalong disclosed this yesterday during a meeting with the leadership of the Plateau State House of Assembly, leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State at the Government House, Jos.
The governor who chairs the state COVID-19 Emergency Response Task Force, explained that the meeting became necessary so as to carry everyone along in the fight against the disease.
“We are dealing with an abnormal situation and so we need to take drastic measures in order to protect the lives of the citizens. We have already put in place various measures to ensure that the disease does not come into Plateau. Thankfully, there is no recorded case yet and we pray that it remains so. However, we must work hard to keep things this way”.
Lalong said there was the need to also work with the legislature and the ruling party leadership in the State to look at the socio-political impact of the disease in the State.
He noted that the stakeholders will need to work together and make hard choices that will keep the state afloat.
Commissioner of Health, Nimkong Lar briefed the stakeholders on the effectiveness of the preventive measures already taken such as contact tracing, closure of markets, monitoring and checks at entry points to the state, as well as public enlightenment.
He said the people of the state are being sensitized and are cooperating with measures put in place.