Borno identifies 99 contacts of dead COVID-19 index case

The Borno State government said on Monday it had identified 99 contacts of the state’s index COVID-19 case.

The patient, a health worker with Doctors Without Border (MSF) working in Pulka village of Gwoza local government area of Borno State, died at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital on Saturday.

He was confirmed positive for COVID-19 by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday night.

The Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, who disclosed the development to journalists in Maiduguri, said 35 contacts were identified in Pulka and 64 in the state capital.

He said: “All contacts of the deceased are being traced and necessary measures to prevent further spread have been put in place.

“To this point, about 99 persons of interest have been traced and strategic testing instituted; 35 in Pulka and 64 in Maiduguri.

“Furthermore, the organisation he worked for in Pulka has been directed to provide line list, profile and quarantine all his contacts and submit the same to the committee for action.

READ ALSO: We are yet to receive COVID-19 palliatives —Plateau govt

“Meanwhile, a team on surveillance and case management has been deployed to Pulka for further investigation and sample collection.”

Kadafur, who is also the Chairman of the state High-Powered Committee on COVID-19, urged the people of the state to take the issue of the pandemic serious and demonstrate strict adherence to measure to contain its spread by observing strict hygiene and social distancing.

He said the state Public Health Emergency Operations Centre for COVID-19 would be activated in line with the procedure.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now