By Olukayode Idowu, Maiduguri
Borno Government has traced one of the persons who had contact with the index case of COVID-19 confirmed victim to one of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in the state.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the COVID-19 High Powered Response Team, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, said one of the 104 persons believed to have had contact with the index case was traced to Bakasi IDPs camp in the centre of Maiduguri.
He however said the threat was immediately withdrawn from the camp and made to self isolate somewhere else.
Kadafur, who declared that presently all the camps in the state are safe and not threatened by COVID-19, noted that of the 104 persons believed to have had contacts with Borno’s COVID-19 index case, 48 persons have been tested and of them, 44 persons have tested negative to coronavirus while two persons tested positive and two results are being expected.
He said the two postive cases were those already announced from an update released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC on Monday night.
The deputy governor while giving an update on cases of COVID-19, said the number at the IDPs camps would be reduced to check against the outbreak of the disease.
He said the state is working in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency and other stakeholders to ensure that the pandemic does not sneak into the camps.
Kadafur told journalists that Borno has four cases as at Tuesday evening which combines the index case, two persons who had contacts with him and an indigene of Borno state who tested positive in Gombe after he came in from Lagos.
He said the indigene was moved from Biu to an isolation centre in Maiduguri and where he is being monitored.
He said the patient is currently being managed by the response team in Borno state.
The state’s commissioner of health, Dr Kwayabura explained that a competent team is in Pulka where an index case emanated, carrying out different measures.
He assured that the state’s response team was in control of the situation.
Commissioner for Home affairs, information and Culture, Babakura Abba Jato assured the public that the response team will be providing daily updates to keep everyone informed.