Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri, Gyang Bere, Jos, Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo, Noah Ebije, Kaduna, John Adams, Minna, Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Medical Director of Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Zaria, Dr Hussaina Adamu, said, yesterday, that the patient with suspected COVID-19 case at the hospital has tested negative.
She said the patient was treated for lower respiratory tract infection and there was great improvement in his health condition.
Adamu said the hospital management directed him to report back in two weeks to see his level of improvement.
The patient, Iliyasu Mukhtar of Dorayi Village in Zaria Local Government Area (LGA), was discharged following a directive from Kaduna State Ministry of Health.
“The patient was admitted at the hospital on Friday March 27 following suspicious signs he displayed before his family members brought him to hospital for medication.
“While at the hospital his blood sample was taken for test but we continued giving him all the necessary medical care and adequate security was provided around Dan Raka ward were he was isolated before the result came,” she said.
Borno steps up road projects amid pandemic threat
Borno State has stepped up the construction of over N4 billion flyover projects and other road works going on at the state capital amid threats of Coronavirus spread.
Commissioner for Works, Yerima Saleh told journalists during an assessment tour of the flyover project at Customs Area Maiduguri, that the restriction would not slow down works on the project, the first ever flyover in the North East.
He said the project was conceived and designed to address increasing challenges of vehicular and human traffic in the area, the condition he said could compromise security situation in the area.
“This work will continue despite the coronavirus epidemic in Nigeria. So far, we have not received any directive to stop works on the project. All the material required for the work are already on ground,” he said.
He said over N4 billion flyover project awarded in January would ease traffic situation in the areas especially being a link route with roads leading to neighbouring Cameroon and Chad republics.
The commissioner said N110 million have been paid as compensation to owners of residential apartment and commercial buildings destroyed to pave way for the flyover.
Niger approves N300m for palliatives
Niger has approved N300 million to provide palliatives to the estimated four million people in the state to cushion hardship being faced as a result of the lockdown.
This is in addition to the N100 million government had earlier approved to curb the spread in the state that is yet to record any case.
Chairman of the state taskforce on COVID-19, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who is also the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), disclosed this to newsmen when he gave update on the activities of the Taskforce.
“Government has already released N74 million to the state ministry of Health and hospital services for the procurement of medical facilities necessary in handling COVID-19 cases while 12 isolation centres have also been created across the eight emirate councils.”
He disclosed that government has procured two additional ventilators to bring the total number in the state to 11 and sanitizers, face masks, examination cloves and oxygen concentrator and oxygen delivery system.
Wake up call to re-examine health, education systems – Bagudu
Wife of the Kebbi Governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, said the pandemic was a wake up for reexamination of the nation’s health and education systems.
Bagudu who stated this in Birnin Kebbi during an interactive session with newsmen, appealed to the general public to support and cooperate with federal and state governments on measures put in place to curtail its spread.
“There are myriad of lessons to be learnt and used from this pandemic. These are bitter lessons that we need to take away; for instance, the issue of sanitizers which are in short supply, while the prices have skyrocketed, while there are few companies producing them.
“Sanitizers are really very crucial and they are scarce in the rural areas. This obnoxious trend must be stopped. There is a cry for not only sanitizers but high-tech equipment like ventilators.”
She said more youths from the North-West must be enrolled to study medicine, science and technology courses.
The governor’s wife who observed that North-West has 4,000 doctors while the South-West has 15,000 said there was urgent need to raise the number of medical doctors in the region.
She lauded Governor Bagudu for spearheading the fight against the pandemic by setting up a taskforce and funding it.
She acknowledged that the measures so far taken by the state government has paid up as Kebbi has remained COVID-19-free.
“This enviable status would be sustained. We will never be complacent and myself, my husband and all the stakeholders, will be religiously committed to ensuring that Kebbi remains COVID 19-free.”
Plateau shuts borders
Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong, has directed the closure of all entry and exit routes into the state.
Secretary to Government, Prof. Danladi Atu disclosed this during a press briefing at Government House Jos.
“Based on assessment of the situation, Governor Simon Lalong and Chairman Plateau State COVID-19 Taskforce has directed that from 6am Thursday April 2, all entry and exit routes to Plateau State will be closed. No one will be allowed to come in or leave.”
Ishaku orders closure of markets, mosques, churches
Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, has also ordered the closure of markets, mosques and churches.
The governor, who disclosed this at a press briefing by his deputy, Haruna Manu, in Jalingo, said measure was in line with best practices and meant to protect the good people of the state from the dreaded COVID-19.
Kaduna relaxes restriction
Kaduna Government has temporarily relaxed the restriction of movement which was imposed throughout the state to check the spread of COVID-19.
In a state broadcast on Wednesday, the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe said that the curfew will be eased from 3pm on Wednesday to 12 midnight on Thursday.
Dr Balarabe said the measure is to enable people to stock up on food and other essentials.