The Kaduna State Government has confirmed a new case of coronavirus in the state, now bringing the number of infected persons to six in the state as at Friday.
A statement issued by Dr Amina Mohammed Baloni, the Commissioner for Health on Saturday, said that the latest case is a male, who worked as a gateman in the Mando area and recently returned from Lagos.
According to Dr Baloni, the sixth case had traveled to Kaduna on public transport and made contact with the authorities as his symptoms worsened, saying that the patient has been evacuated to the state’s Infectious Disease Centre.
The commissioner warned that the latest case presents the nightmare scenario of possible community transmission of COVID-19 in the state, adding, “lt is very difficult and complicated to trace the contacts of a patient who came from Lagos via public transport and has had some instance of local commuting since his arrival.
“The Rapid Response Team is trying its utmost to elicit from him a list of his contacts, so that they can be traced and monitored. He does not know who his fellow passengers from Lagos were. But the team is working to develop an idea of his local contacts in Kaduna, including any vehicles he commuted in and people he met at the hospital he visited and within his neighbourhood.”
Dr Baloni noted, “lt was in order to prevent and avert a scenario like this that the government has consistently appealed to the public to practice social distancing and directed commercial buses to carry no more than two passengers per row.
“The instances that have now being recorded of people spreading COVID-19 from one state to another further reinforces the need to stop all inter-state travel. People need to stay in one place and help reduce the footprint of Covid-19.”
The statement maintained that government also outrightly banned motorcycle taxis and Keke Napep because they do not satisfy the conditions for social distancing.
The commissioner also reiterated government’s advice against large gatherings and congregational prayers, adding, “Now that there is a case of possible community transmission of Covid-19, residents must begin to take more seriously the quarantine conditions.”
The statement warned that it is important for people to stay at home, go out only when absolutely necessary and practice personal hygiene, especially washing hands with soap and water regularly while residents should also observe respiratory hygiene.
According to Baloni, “These are dangerous times, but we can work together to stop this disease from spreading. It is cheaper and better to prevent Covid-19 than to catch it.”
