From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
Kano State government has declared that it has not yet recorded a single case of COVID-19, popularly known as coronavirus in any part of the state, contrary to widespread rumours of the disease.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa made the declaration at a joint press conference on coronavirus situation in the state yesterday.
He said that while the government is receiving rumoured cases daily, it has tested only three persons whose results came out negative since the outbreak of the dreaded disease.
“We receive rumoured cases daily but we follow it up until the right thing is done. In all the suspected cases we have followed up, it were only three cases that we felt to take their samples for test. When the result of the test is out, they all showed negative,” he said.
The commissioner stated that part of the measures taken by the government was engaging the business community by sensitizing them on precautionary measures against the COVID-19.
According to him, the business communities have agreed to adopt some safety measures such as provision of water and soap as well as hand sanitizer in markets and supermarkets.
“Although we have not received communication on travel ban from the federal government, we urged those planning to go to the enlisted countries to have a rethink and shelve the trips.
Other measures include development of Incident Action Plan, activation of Rapid Response Team (RRT) and reactivation of Yar-gaya treatment centre.
Tsanyawa added that the state government also conducted the State Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee Meeting (EPRCM) all in a bid to check the outbreak of the disease.