Fallout of Lagos trip: Gateman tests positive for coronavirus in Kaduna state
A gatekeeper in Kaduna State (nameswitheld) has tested positive for coronavirus shortly after returning from Lagos State, and said to have no connection to the first five confirmed cases of the virus in Kaduna State.
Penpushing reports that, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Amina Baloni, confirmed this development in a statement on Saturday, adding that the victim ‘’is a male who worked as a gateman in the Mando area and recently returned from Lagos ‘’
The Commissioner disclosed that, with the latest case, the number of confirmed cases in the state as of Friday was six, adding that the sixth case had ‘’traveled to Kaduna on public transport and made contact with the authorities as his symptoms worsened. The patient has been evacuated to the state’s Infectious Disease Centre.”
Penpushing further reports that the commissioner, however, warned that the latest case presents the nightmare scenario of possible community transmission of virus in the state, stressing, ‘’It is very difficult and complicated to trace the contacts of a patient who came from Lagos via public transport and had some instance of local commuting since his arrival,”
The commissioner added that the State Rapid Response Team is trying all it could do as at the time of filing this reports, to extract information from the patient a list of his contacts, so that they can be traced and monitored.
“He does not know who his fellow passengers from Lagos are. 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,’’ she said.
“it was in order to prevent and avert a scenario like this that the government has consistently appealed to the public to practise social distancing and directed commercial buses to carry no more than two passengers per row’’, she stated
‘’The instances that have now been 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,’’ she further argued.
Penpushing also reports that, the commissioner reiterated the government’s advice against large gatherings and congregational prayers, adding that ‘’now that there is a case of possible community transmission of Covid-19, residents must begin to take more seriously the quarantine conditions.‘’
‘’it is important to stay at home, go out only when absolutely necessary and practice personal hygiene, especially washing hands with soap and water regularly. Residents should also observe respiratory hygiene’’,the statement said
Penpushing reports that the commissioner in the statement emphasized that the government has banned motorcycle taxis and Keke pointing out that they do not satisfy the conditions for social distancing, stressing that,’ 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’.
