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COVID-19: Kwara records 2 new cases as ex-commissioner recants ventilator claim

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The Kwara State government, led by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has confirmed two fresh cases of COVID-19 in the state as the virus continues to spread across the country.

Governor Abdulrazaq made the confirmation in a post on his Twitter page on Sunday night which now brings the number of infections recorded in Kwara State to four.

The post by the governor read: “I regret to announce that we have two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kwara state.

“This brings the total number of active cases in our state to four. We will continue to intensify our efforts to trace and test suspected cases.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: ‘We’re not out of the woods yet,’ Adeboye backs Nigerian govt on extension of lockdown orders

“All hands must be on deck to flatten the curve of transmission in our state. Do your part: maintain personal hygiene, stay at home, and keep social distancing. May God protect us all.”

Meanwhile, former Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Suleiman Alege, has recanted his earlier claim that the Abdulfatah Ahmed administration left behind three ventilators in the state.

This came a few hours after the state government challenged him to provide proof or be prepared to appear before an anti-graft agency.

Alege, in an article which went viral on social media on Saturday said, “To say there was no ventilator in Kwara State before now is a fat lie. We had three in good working condition in Kwara State before the advent of the present government.”

The claim by Alege was countered by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye who in a statement said, “If what Alege said is true, that they procured ventilators, then somebody in their team possibly made away with the ventilators or money was released and they were never bought.”

Alege later responded to the government’s position on the matter by withdrawing his earlier comments when he said; “Further investigation revealed that the last administration decided to prioritise the procurement of more oxygen concentrators in order to service many hospitals since the ventilators are only key in intensive care units.”

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