Kaduna State has recorded its first death from COVID-19, just as the results of 167 Almajiri returnees from Kano State were being awaited in the state.
Announcing the death in a statement on Saturday, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Baloni, said the deceased is a male patient who was confirmed positive on Thursday, April 30.
Mrs Baloni added that the deceased was a retired civil servant with underlying medical conditions, who concealed his recent travel to Kano when he visited a public hospital and then a private hospital.
The man was eventually admitted to the isolation centre with respiratory distress where he died.
The commissioner said the man’s family had been informed of his demise and has since been buried according to the burial protocol of the NCDC.
As a result of the development, health officials in the state are decontaminating the two hospitals that the deceased visited, while workers who attended to him have been isolated, as well as his family members.
The commissioner also announced that the testing of 167 almajiri children from Kano for COVID-19 pandemic has been completed and their results are being awaited.
She, however, expressed concern that the number of positive cases from this group may rise beyond the 21 recorded before the completion of testing for this category of persons.
The commissioner appealed to citizens who suspect that they have been exposed to Covid-19 to avoid infecting others. Rather, they should follow the safety protocol of isolating themselves at home and contacting health officials.
“Concealing relevant information and engaging in conduct that exposes others to the risk of infection constitutes a danger to the community and is regarded as wilful and reckless endangerment of the well-being and lives of other citizens.
“Such conduct contravenes the provisions of the Quarantine Orders and could lead to prosecution.
“The Ministry of Health wishes to remind the general public of the importance of hand-washing, personal hygiene, social distancing and the avoidance of large gatherings in helping protect us all from Covid-19.
“Residents should wear facemasks when leaving their homes and should wash their hands when they return home,” the statement noted.
