Four Nasarawa State COVID19 Patients Test Negative, To Be Discharged

Eric M Kuju, Lafia

Four patients out of the twenty-four active cases of COVID19 in Nasarawa State have tested negative for the virus.

This positive news was disclosed by the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health, Honourable Ahmed B. Yahaya today (May 13, 2020) during a press briefing after an expanded State security council meeting which held at the Nasarawa State Government House, Shendam Road Lafia.

Honourable Yahaya said: “The index case tested negative yesterday and it was followed by three others who tested negative this afternoon.

“They are all currently within the premises of the Specialist Hospital but they will be discharged this evening.

“They will not just be sent home, but we will also send psychologists who will counsel them and their families and monitor their psychological status.

“We also have told the counsellors to bring them on air for people to know that truly it is not a death sentence. You can get cured.

“For those who are hiding, they should please come out and be tested so we can know the real status of Nasarawa State.

“Indeed, the results of the samples we sent in the past few days have returned negative. That is an impressive outcome.”

He assured that the State Ministry of Health will not rest but continue to monitor the borders of the State and public places to ensure the NCDC guidelines are being strictly adhered to.

The health commissioner also said they will continue to intensify efforts to trace contacts of infected individuals and also those considered to be ‘high risk’.

He said the State Government is making arrangements to fumigate places that have served as holding centres as well as homes of individuals that have tested positive for the virus.

Honourable Ahmed Yahaya also revealed that the State Ministry of Health has stepped up its effort in the area of training. He said they have extended the training to workers in private hospitals, private pharmacies and even traditionalists.

Also speaking at the briefing, Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Abdulkarim Kana said the lockdown that was in place in Nasarawa Local Government Area has been lifted as the State security council did not see a need to extend it after it had expired on Monday (May 11, 2020).

Nasarawa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Abdulkarim Kana

He said even though all other restrictions that have been in place will continue across the State, no part of Nasarawa State is currently under total lockdown and shops that are not in market places can open from 10am to 3pm every day. He however cautioned that shop owners should ensure they comply fully with the guidelines on hygiene and social distancing.

Professor Kana urged all citizens of Nasarawa State to continue to obey the regulations put in place by the government and also the guidelines of the NCDC to ensure the positive trend being observed in the State continues.

He said: “We have received advice from medical experts and they said we should continue to monitor happenings in the coming days to see how it goes before there will be another meeting by the government to see whether we will slightly lower the restrictions or increase the restrictions.

“All that will be dependent largely on the situation on ground as being observed particularly by the medical experts.”

The recent development has now brought the number of active cases of COVID19 in Nasarawa State to twenty.

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