COVID-19 Community Transmission: Bauchi Lockdown Three LGAs
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – As part of measures to curtail community transmission of Coronavirus, the Bauchi State Government has announced the total lockdown of three Local Government Areas namely; Giade, Katagum and Zaki in the Northern zone of the State.
Governor Bala Mohammed, who announced the decision of the State government on Sunday while briefing the media on the update of COVID-19 pandemic in the state, said the lockdown which takes effect from 6pm on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 will be for the initial 10 days to enable the government monitor how the situation will be controlled.
A visibly disturbed Governor Mohammed said the development would determine the next line of action to be taken by the government.
The governor decried the negative attitude of the people of the Northern zone of the state particularly the three LGAs from which a total of 44 positive new cases were returned in one day, stressing that the situation is unacceptable by his administration.
He noted that in spite of the series of warnings, the people still travel to Kano on a daily basis from where they are importing the infection thereby making it a community transmission problem which he said is not acceptable by the government.
Mohammed therefore directed his deputy, Senator Baba Tela to immediately proceed to Azare for the next 5 days in order to ensure the full implementation of the total lockdown.
The governor further said; “You know that we share borders with Kano and Jigawa states, so our people from the Northern zone find it very easy to go to Hadejia and other towns for businesses from where they get infected and bring it to transmit among the people innocently. We must put a stop to the trend.
“The situation is alarming. Just as I was talking to you, another information came in that additional 27 positive cases from the area arrived, you can imagine what we are saying?”
Mohammed appealed to the people of Bauchi State to continue to adhere strictly to all the prescribed public health protocols put in place by government to curtail community transmission of the infection.
He also appealed to the testing center in Jos to release results of samples sent for testing from the state assuring that his government is working round the clock to have a COVID-19 test laboratory to ease the problem of testing.
On the deaths in Azare, the Governor said that available records have it that in the last 30 days the total number of death is about 120 majorly from old age, childbirth and other terminal illnesses, adding that the state only has one COVID-19 related death.
Responding, the Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela assured the Governor that his committee will do everything possible to enforce the total lockdown in the three LGAs.
