Borno governor, Zulum orders probe of COVID-19 index case, declares 14 days total lockdown

The state governor, Professor Babagana Zulum in a broadcast to the state was angry over the way and manner the index case was handled that did not only result to the death of the health worker but exposed at least a hundred people to the risk of the infection.

He stressed that if not of the shoddy way the index case was handled and with the commitment of the health worker to humanitarian services, it couldn’t have been his will to expose the people to the dreaded Coronavirus.

He said, “with the confirmation of the index case in Borno by the NCDC, it has brought a strong and dangerous warning that the COVID-19 pandemic was real coupled with the 11 years burden of Boko Haram insurgency and it’s mortal impact amounts to adding fresh pepper on fresh injury”.

And that not withstanding “the dangers posed by the pandemic, it has three solutions and they have the same words, prevention, prevention and prevention”.

Governor hinted that as part of measures to curb further spread of the virus, the state high-powered committee on COVID-19 has traced 99 persons believed to have had contacts with the deceased, 35 of them were traced to Pulka in Gwoza local government area and 64 in Maiduguri.

Equally, he said, the high-powered committee in COVID-19 is to ensure that standards are to be strictly adhered and complied with.

Governor Zulum thereby directed a total

cessation of all movements in the state for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 10:30 Pm on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.