The Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Amina Baloni, has disclosed that the 6th confirmed Covid-19 case in the state does not have any connection with the first five cases.
The sixth case, a gatekeeper, popularly referred to as ‘maiguard’, she said, recently returned from Lagos through public transport.
She disclosed this in a statement, Saturday.
According to her: “The latest case is a male who worked as a gateman in the Mando area and recently returned from Lagos.
“He traveled to Kaduna on public transport and made contact with the authorities as his symptoms worsened. The patient has been evacuated to the state’s Infectious Disease Centre.”
She regretted that the latest case presents what she described as, ‘nightmare scenario’ of possible community transmission of Covid-19 in the state.
Her concern, she said, is because: ‘’It is very difficult and complicated to trace the contacts of a patient who came from Lagos via public transport and had some instance of local commuting since his arrival.
“He does not know who his fellow passengers from Lagos were. But our team is working to develop an idea of his local contacts in Kaduna, including any vehicles he commuted in and people he met at the hospital he visited.”
The Health Commissioner further lamented that, “it was in order to prevent and avert a scenario like this that the government has consistently appealed to the public to practice social distancing and directed commercial buses to carry not more than two passengers per row.
‘’The instances that have now been recorded of people spreading Covid-19 from one state to another further reinforces the need to stop all inter-state travel. People need to stay in one place and help reduce the footprint of Covid-19.”
Mrs Baloni further re-echoed the earlier advice of the state government that residents should avoid large gatherings and congregational prayers.
According to her: “Now that there is a case of possible community transmission of Covid-19, residents must begin to take more seriously the quarantine conditions.
“It is important to stay at home, go out only when absolutely necessary and practice personal hygiene, especially washing hands with soap and water regularly. Residents should also observe respiratory hygiene.’’
