The Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Bayero University, Kano; Professor Isa Abubakar has said that the purported decline in the number of COVID-19 infected Persons in Kano state would not help in the fight,describing it as not the true reflection of the situation.
Professor Abubakar cautioned that the decline recorded in the figure in Kano is not in any way a sign of relief on the spread of COVID 19 in the state.
He made this known, when the Centre received a new COVID-19 testing machine donated by A.A. Rano and Aliko Oil.
He alleged that the State was not submitting the number of required samples for testing on the disease.
The professor of infectious disease expressed concern over the decline in the number of samples being submitted to the state epidemiology team for COVID-19 tests.
Professor Abubakar, who expressed disgust over the poor number of samples especially from Kano, insisting that the present decline in the number of active cases in the state is not a sign of relief.
It could be recalled that recently while inaugurating a test collection centre in the state, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje expressed satisfaction over the low active cases, which he described as a significant indication that the state is winning the battle against COVID-19.
The epidemiologist , explained that the decline in COVID-19 active cases in Kano called for concern.
” Honestly as an epidemiologist, I will be very much happy if the number of tests we are conducting is larger than what we are seeing and we are recording more negatives but for now, it is premature to celebrate at all’’
On the declining figures of infected persons in the state, Technical Coordinator, Kano COVID-19 Taskforce team, Dr Tijjani Hussani denied the low number of samples submission for laboratory testing.
He explained that between May,24-30 total samples submitted to the three testing centres in the state was 1,018 while 70 tested positive when the results were out.
‘’As I speak to you, we submit samples to centres at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Bayero University and Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital. Within 7 days that is between May 24-30, we submitted 1,018 samples and 70 of the samples came out positive,’’ he noted.
The coordinator explained that initially samples submission and collection mostly take 5 days but with the establishment of the Bayero University and Muhammadu Buhari centres supporting that of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, it takes 3 days for results of samples to be ready.