COVID-19: 3 Commissioners, 5 Lawmakers, Special Adviser Test Positive Among 63 Other Cases In Gombe
… As taskforce says it is broke
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI IN GOMBE – A save-our-soul (SOS) alarm has been raised by the Chairman of the Gombe State Taskforce on Covid-19, Professor Idris Mohammed to the Gombe State Government over the rising increase of confirmed cases of Covid-19 infections in the State.
This is as three serving Commissioners, five members of the State House of Assembly and one Special Adviser have tested positive to COVID-19 disease in the state.
The development is taking place against the backdrop of lack adequate funding needed to keep the fight against the pandemic going as the Taskforce is believed to have gone bankrupt amidst the rising cases of the disease in the past four days.
Prof Mohammed expressed fear that community spread of the virus could land the State into more trouble if money is not released to the Taskforce to continue its activities and engage in massive testing.
Briefing newsmen on Tuesday, Prof Mohammed said that the State has recorded not fewer than 63 confirmed positive cases in just four days and lack of funds is slowing its activities.
He said the State has so far recorded 10 deaths with 89 active cases at the moment, adding that results just received shortly before the press briefing, showed that out of six results, four turned out positive.
He explained that it is now established that there is now community spread of the virus in Gombe State indicating that the committee must engage communities through massive social mobilization, advocacy and education if the spread must be curtailed.
He advanced the need for the strengthening of its rapid response teams with periodic but regular fumigation of suspected areas such as Mosques, Churches, Markets and other public places.
The Taskforce Chairman also explained that the State is prepared for an escalation of the virus with more isolation centre being established.
He said that apart from the existing and active isolation centres in Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, State Specialist Hospital Gombe and Idris Mohammed Infectious Disease Hospital Kwadon, there are two more to be established.
“We also have one isolation centre in Bajoga General Hospital, another one in Ashaka, all in Funakaye LGA and two more in Kaltungo LGA”, Professor Mohammed said.
In his response following the aftermath of the death of the Assistant Secretary of the Covid-19 Taskforce committee who was also a Director in the office of the SSG, the State Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim El-Hassan Kwami announced that following massive tests, three Commissioners, one Special Adviser and five members of the State House of Assembly were found to be positive of COVID-19 infection.
The Commissioner said that more tests are currently ongoing adding that it is hoped that all civil servants in the State as well as members of the public will be tested to ascertain their status.
