Fear in Kano as More Deaths Occur

Fear has has taken over residents of Kano metropolis as more people continue to succumb to a strange illness that has hit some parts of the city.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that scores of people, including elites and prominent sons of the state, have been lost to the yet-to-be-identified disease, with Dala, Fagge, Tarauni, Nasarawa, Gwale and Kano Municipal worst hit.

NAN sources, however, indicated that the deaths were not connected to the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as none of the deceased had tested positive to the pandemic.

Dr Isa Abubakar, the Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Bayero University Kano (BUK), told NAN that the disease resulting in the surge in deaths was not related to COVID-19. According to him, none of the deceased was confirmed to have exhibited the symptoms of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Government says it has begun an investigation into the cause of the recent surge in deaths recorded in Kano metropolis.

A worried Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje has also admitted that the health situation in Kano is “getting tougher and tougher by the day”.

“Everything is becoming so serious now. But as the situation gets serious, we are surely on top of it. We require testing machines in Kano and want the Federal Government to bring them.

“It is when we have the machines that we will be able to tackle whatever threat that facing us.”

Ganduje said that all those that had tested positive to COVID-19 in the state were in stable condition, adding that none of them was critical to need ventilators.

“Their (patients) conditions are still manageable,” he declared.

He explained that due to the shut down of NCDC’s test centre, samples of suspected cases of COVID-19 are being transported to Abuja “despite the cumbersome processes and inconveniences in long distance traveling.

“The Federal Government should hasten their support programme in Kano with adequate testing centres and all the necessary kits to help contain the spread of the disease,” he said.

 “We are appealing to the Federal Government to support Kano the way it supported Lagos and Ogun; we are doing everything within our power to contain the pandemic.”