COVID-19: PTF names Kogi, Zamfara, others as ‘high risk’ states for Nigerians to visit

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF) has named Kogi, Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa and Kebbi as ‘absolute high risk’ states for Nigerians to go as the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic continues.

According to the PTF, the states are high risks because no adequate data is coming from them to determine the level of the pandemic in the states.

The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu gave the warning on Monday during a press briefing by the PTF in Abuja.

Aliyu, who was represented by the National Incident Manager of the PTF, Dr. Muktar Mohammed, also named 22 local government areas in 13 states that are responsible for 95 percent of the country’s infection rate, classifying them as ‘highly burdened’.

The local government areas listed are Nkanu-West, Enugu; Abuja Municipal Area Council and Gwagwalada, FCT; Gombe, Gombe; Chikun, Kaduna-North and Kaduna South, Kaduna; Nassarawa, Kano; Katsina, Katsina; Ilorin-South, Ilorin-West, Kwara; Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Kosofe, Lagos Mainland; Keffi and Lafia, Nasarawa; Ibadan-North Oyo; Jos-North, Jos-South, Plateau; Port-Harcourt, Rivers; and Wamako, Sokoto.

Read also: 676 new COVID-19 cases take Nigeria’s total to 131,918. Deaths, recoveries updated

Aliyu said: “These local government areas which are mostly in the cities or the state capitals contribute over 95 per cent of the epidemic, particularly new cases in the country.

“The states include Nasarawa, which has both Lafia and Keffi; Plateau, Jos-North and Jos-South; Rivers, which is Port Harcourt; Katsina; Sokoto; Kaduna, both Kaduna-North, Kaduna-South and Chikun LGAs; about five local government areas in Lagos; FCT, AMAC and Gwagwalada; Enugu; Gombe; Kano; Kwara, Ilorin-South and Ilorin-North.

“These LGAs, as I mentioned, contribute over 95 per cent of the new cases that have been recorded in the last six weeks.”

“In addition to this, we have states where data are not coming forth. If you don’t test, your data will not be analysed. If your data is not analysed, we won’t know the level of the epidemic in your state.

“Notable among the states that have not been reporting adequately are Yobe, Jigawa, Zamfara and Kebbi; and of course, Kogi State that has not been reporting at all.

“States that are not testing are probably at much higher risk than the states that currently we are as high-burdened states. A state that is not testing at all is at absolute high risk for Nigerians to go there because there is no testing facility.”

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