Nigeria’s most populated state, Kano is fast becoming the epicenter of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the situation may worsen with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s relaxation of the 14-day lockdown order imposed by the federal government.
Considering news reports, prior to the federal government take over of Kano’s Covid-19 situation, one can infer from recent data emerging that the actual numbers of Covid-19 deaths in the state is much higher than the figures announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Recall that hundreds of deaths in the state as reported by TheNEwsGuru (TNG) were labelled mysterious and remained unrecorded till date.
However, the presidential team said 80 per cent of every 100 samples taken from the state for testing always came out positive and finally opened up that the ‘mysterious deaths’ are linked to Covid-19.
According to NCDC’s recent report, there were 332 COVID-19 cases in the state, which was second to Lagos State that had 1,107, the highest in the country – what makes the Kano state story worrisome is the poor handling by the government.
Buhari had, in his broadcast to the nation on April, 27, imposed a total lockdown on Kano State and dispatched a team of experts to the state the following day as part of efforts to stop the spread of the virus (That order has been relaxed by Governor Ganduje).
Community Covid-19 transmission in Kano:
The Head of the team sent to Kano State by the President, Dr Nasiru Gwarzo, said the state had a high rate of community transmission of COVID-19.
Gwarzo told the BBC Hausa service in an interview that the high rate of transmission, as shown by increased testing, was evident when compared to the former situation in the state.
According to him, there is an urgent need for the people of Kano to take the deadly disease seriously as out of every 100 samples samples taken for testing, 80 per cent always came out positive.
He said, “This is a serious situation which needs collective effort to address as the case of pandemic has gone beyond people’s imagination as it has gone to community transmission.
“What we are afraid of in this pandemic is what is happening. The pandemic has left the first stage of entering the country. It has left the second stage and has entered the third stage of community spread. This is not news that will be palatable to the public but like a Hausa proverb says, ‘on the day you are to take a bath, you cannot hide your navel.’”
– Kano’s mysterious’ deaths now linked to Covid-19
Speaking with reporters in Kano on Sunday, Gwarzo, who also lost his father during the period that Kano recorded a high number of deaths, said investigation had shown that COVID-19 is responsible for some of the deaths.
“Let me inform us that most of the deaths recorded of recent and test carried out showed that coronavirus was the cause,” he said.
“So, before the final report which would be ready in the next one week or few days, it is necessary for people of Kano to wake up from their slumber that this is a serious issue.
“We need to know what is happening we are successful in identifying what the problems are and secondly we are happy on the level of cooperation the private sector and other stake holders. Many people have come out to support the state we cannot expand our investigation until we are certain.
“We have five cogent reasons to say that the mass death recorded in Kano is associated with coronavirus.”