FOURTEEN new Coronavirus (COVID -19) cases were confirmed last night by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The confirmation came on the heels of reports from Bauchi State that Governor Bala Mohammed has tested negative to the virus.
Disclosed his negative status via his official Twitter account, the governor said he tested negative after a second test conducted by the NCDC.
Of the 14 confirmed cases by the NCDC, 13 were from Lagos and one in Delta State, taking the national tally to 288.
The NCDC had erroneously reported two new cases in Bauchi State on Wednesday, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 276 as reported yesterday. It apologised for the mix-up, saying the said results were repeat tests for previously confirmed cases.
The Centre said: “On Thursday, we erroneously reported two new cases in Bauchi. Following further review, we can confirm that these were repeat tests for previously confirmed cases.
“We apologise for this error and remain committed to ensuring transparent and accurate reporting of test results.”
The discharge of additional seven patients from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Lagos, brought the number of discharged persons to 51. So far, seven deaths have been recorded.
Out of the 288 cases, Lagos has 158; FCT (54); Osun, (20); Oyo (11); Edo (12); Bauchi (six); Kaduna and Akwa Ibom (five each); Ogun (four); two each in Enugu, Ekiti, Rivers, Kwara and Delta states. Benue, Ondo and Katsina states have one each.
The Bauchi governor said in the tweet: “I just received the green light. My second test for #COVID-19 returned negative, I thank you all for your prayers and support even while I was in isolation. Most importantly, all the praises and thanks be to Allah –the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
“My gratitude also goes to our religious leaders within and outside the state for their constant prayers, also our meticulous Bauchi #COVID-19 team and the @NCDCgov.” Mohammed said.
Mohammed tested positive for COVID-19 on March 25 after reported contact with Mohammed, one of the sons of former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar.
The NCDC was yet to officially announce the Bauchi governor’s negative status.
In Lagos yesterday, state government said it has concluded plans on a house-to-house case identification to detect possible COVID-19 cases in Nigeria’s commercial hub.
Commissioner for Health Prof Akin Abayomi who dropped the hint at a news conference said the case identification campaign, tagged: “Community Active Case Search,” will begin next Monday.
The campaign will run for two weeks in the first instance across the state, he added.
According to Abayomi, health workers will move in pairs from house to house and health facilities to administer electronic questionnaires to citizens.
He added that the questions to be administered will border on COVID-19 symptoms. The commissioner stressed that the officials carrying out the exercise can be identified with the COVID-19 outbreak response tags and letters from the local government.
The commissioner said: “In the coming days, some of our health workers will be moving around in pairs to administer an electronic questionnaire at homes and healthcare facilities to make enquiries about symptoms of cough, cold and fever.
“This is in a bid to intensify our search for possible cases of COVID-19 in different communities across the state. I implore you to give them your maximum support by providing accurate information that would help in containing this pandemic quickly.”
