Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has revealed the identity and details of the index case of coronavirus recorded in the state.
Speaking at the Government House on Saturday, the governor said the patient is a 75-year-old retired civil servant and former Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Ganduje said the state government took the blood samples of 10 suspected cases to Abuja three days ago in which nine came out negative, while that of the former Ambassador was positive.
He described the development as sad, pointing out that the state will take more drastic measures to ensure that the situation does not escalate.
He said, “Indeed, it is a sad moment for us. This is an occasion that we are not happy with. I am unhappy to inform the people of Kano State that today (Saturday), we got a patient who tested positive for COVID-19.
“He is a 75-year-old retiree and former Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The former Ambassador” travelled to Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja, and came back to Kano on 25 March, 2020.
“Today, it is confirmed that we have a case of COVID-19 in Kano.
“The former Ambassador has no history of travelling abroad in recent times, but medical reports confirmed that he has health complications.”
He said the COVID-19 patient has already been taken to Kurna Dawakin Kudu Isolation Centre where he is receiving adequate attention.
“In Kurna Dawakin Kudu isolation center, we have 70 beds, ventilators and other facilities. What we are doing now is to trace those he has contacts with.
“We learned that he attended a marriage ceremony, we are trying to get those who he had contacts with at the marriage ceremony. We also learned that he attended Mosque last Friday, we are also tracing those who had contacts with him.”
Ganduje further stated that a Private Hospital where the former Ambassador had gone for normal treatment before he was found to be COVID-19 positive has been shut down, just as the doctors and nurses who attended to him have been traced.
He said the samples of all the family members of the former envoy have been taken for test, adding that all the samples taken have been deposited at the COVID-19 test laboratory at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).
Ganduje urged members of the public to adhere strictly to directives as given by the Federal Ministry of Health, State Ministry of Health, WHO and other health experts, pointing out the importance of observing social distancing.
He also advised religious leaders to ensure maintenance of social distancing in places of worship so as to save lives.
Ganduje appealed to Kano residents to obey the stay-at-home order, adding that tricycles in the state will henceforth be mandated to carry only one passenger as part of measures to prevent further spread of the virus.
