Leader of the Presidential Task Force Committee on Covid-19, Dr Nasiru Sani Gwarzo has said that the high wave of deaths recorded in Kano in recent weeks wlresulted from coronavirus pandemic.
Gwarzo said on Sunday that the recent deaths and from the test, it carried out it has been established that covid-19 is the cause.
Deaths running into hundreds were reported about a fortnight ago in Kano in the heat of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, with many Nigerians fearing it was the handiwork of the dreaded virus.
Officials of Kano State Government including the goveror had dismissed any association of the deaths with coronavirus.
Gwarzo spoke while speaking with newsmen in the state on Sunday after the ceremony of donation of mobile testing laboratory facilities by Alhaji Aliko Dangote to the Kano State Government.
According to Gwarzo, “Let me inform us that, most of the deaths recorded of recent and test carried out showed that coronavirus is the cause. So before the final reports 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.
“It is not a new thing, countries like America, China, Italy, Spain, England, France and others experienced similar mysterious deaths. “
Gwarzo on matching order of President Muhammadu Buhari led the technical team of the Presidential Task Force to unravel the cause of mysterious deaths in Kano and also to contain the spread of the virus in the state.
Earlier while presenting the mobile testing centre to the state government, the representative of the ‘Aliko Dangote Foundation’, Zouerra Yousufu said that the donation was to compliment the effort of the government in the fight against the pandemic in the state.
According to her, the centre has the capacity of testing 400 samples in a day, adding that 10 ambulances and six other vehicles were also donated to the state to ease movement.
“This centre with 400 testing capacity, we are planning by next week to commence testing of about 1,000 samples, and every logistic issue related to the laboratory, Dangote foundation will handle it.
“The laboratory which was conceived by a Nigerien and in Nigeria is aimed at speeding the testing of COVID-19 samples in the state.
“Looking at the population of Kano, more mobile laboratories are coming, and we assured you that the foundation will continue to support the fight against the pandemic in the stare and Nigeria in general.”
Responding, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje commended the foundation for the kind gesture, saying that it came at a time the state is in trouble over the issue of COVID-19, especially the testing centre.
According to Ganduje, “so far we have three testing centres in the state, that of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Bayero University and now the one donated by Dangote.
“With these centres, our work in fighting the pandemic will be easier.
“I have to commend the effort of President Muhammad Buhari for ensuring the reactivation of the NCDC centre after it was shut down a week back.
“With the three centres, the prevalence of the disease will be controlled,” Ganduje said while also commending the people of Kano for gradually believing the truth of the disease.
Also Speaking, the NCDC Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu commended the state government effort in fighting the pandemic in the state.
He assured to continue to work with the government towards controlling the spread of the disease in Kano and the country in general.
