COVID-19: Kano Trains 30, 000 Health Workers, Tests 39, 363 Samples

Kano State Government says it has trained over 30, 000 health workers to stem further spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the state.

The government also conducted 39, 363 COVID-19 samples test since the outbreak of the pandemic in the past three months in the state.

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Dr Tijjani Hussaini, the state’s Technical Coordinator Task Force Committee on COVID-19, made this known at the bi-weekly news conference on Thursday in Kano.

Hussaini disclosed that medical and health workers were exposed to case management and preventive techniques to enhance their response to the pandemic.

He said that the committee also sensitised organisations, community and religious leaders to create awareness on preventive tips as well as promote adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols in the society.

The coordinator revealed that 39, 363 samples were tested in the state, adding that 32, 418 results were received from the laboratories.

Hussaini said that the state had so far recorded 1, 566 confirmed cases; 1, 258 discharged and 53 deaths while 255 were active cases.

According to him, most of the active cases are home base care, representing about 4.84 per cent below the national index.

Hussaini noted that 82 per cent of the cases were recorded in eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

He listed the high prevalence areas to include Kano Municipal, Tarauni, Dala, Gwale, Nasarawa, Fagge, Kumbotso and Ungogo.

The Coordinator added that the state had five molecular testing centres with 1, 350 testing capacity per day, to enhance detection and effective response to the pandemic.

“Because of the fact that the size of samples collected in the state outstripped what the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) recommended, that is 100 per state, while we collect in thousands.

“And with the five testing centres in the state, we still take some of our samples to Abuja for testing,” he said.

Hussaini, however, expressed concern over the recent surge in virus infections as against the zero case recorded in the past five days in the state.

The coordinator said the committee would scale up sensitisation and enforcement of COVID-19 protocols such use of face mask to sustain the feat achieved in the fight against the pandemic in the state.

Also speaking, Kabir Getso, the Commissioner for Environment, said that more than 300 premises were de-contaminated to stem further spread of the pandemic.

Getso disclosed that the state government had also distributed face marks and sanitiser to Eid praying grounds in the 44 LGAs of the state, to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.

He called on the people of the state to adhere to safety measures and support government efforts to control the disease.

For his part, Dr Ibrahim Tsanyawa, the Commissioner for Health, noted that the state was in a critical period of virus control, which called for collective effort.

Tsanyawa urged the people to support the government to sustain the successes recorded in the campaign against the disease.