The World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Manager in Northeast,
Dr. Collins Owili; has said that global health agency; has scaled up
COVID-19 responses in Borno.
According to him, WHO and partners; are moving rapidly to help state
government identify, test and treat COVID-19 cases that claimed nine
lives.
Owili in a statement Saturday in Maiduguri disclosed; “We’re moving
quickly to assist Borno State Government trace, test and treat
confirmed cases of coronavirus in camps and communities.”
He said that the COVID-19 scale up responses, are to prevent and
control further outbreak of the disease.
He said the first case of COVID-19 was reported 51 days after Nigeria
declared an outbreak of COVID-19 disease.
“As at May 1, 2020, in Nigeria 2, 170 cases have been confirmed in 35
out of 36 states, including Borno (69), and the Federal capital
Territory, Abuja,” he said.
Borno COVID-19 response team Chairman, Umar Kadafur also said that the
index case a 56-year-old citizen of Borno who was brought in from
Pulka with symptoms of severe respiratory disease died at University
of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
While lamenting on index case, he said: “The index case is a health
worker in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area.
“He was managed for 10 days the Pulka health facility before being
referred to UMTH where he was on admission for three days during which
a sample was collected and tested positive for COVID-19 on April 18,
2020. The patient died on same day.”
According to him, The Public Health Emergency Operations Center
(PHEOC) has been fully activated for the response.
Before preparatory responses to COVID-19, WHO had trained state and
Local Government Areas (LGAs) response teams.
He noted that the continuing insecurity has made surveillance and
response challenging.
He said many contacts have already been identified and are being
followed up for isolations and testing for the virus.
“WHO has line-listed over 103 contacts linked with the index case and
are on self-quarantine,” said Owili,” adding that details of the
contacts indicated that 62 are in Maiduguri while 35 are in Pulka of
Gwoza council.
Continued; “Prior to the index case of COVID-19 in Borno, WHO has been
providing technical support to ministries of health in Borno, Adamawa
and Yobe states.
He said the supports are in active surveillance, risk communication,
contact tracing and logistics among other preparations for response to
confirmed cases.
He added that the infection, prevention and control (IPC) teams are
currently decontaminating health facilities where the index case in
Borno state was admitted.
On preventive measures, Owili said: “Risk communication interventions
including motorized campaign, house-to-house sensitization are taking
place in Gwoza council; where contacts and alerts of suspected cases
have been reported,” warning that seven million people need health
assistance; as 60% of health facilities are functioning partially or
not at all.
According to him, detecting and responding rapidly to suspected cases
of COVID-19 is vital to controlling the outbreaks.
He further warned that COVID-19 spreads rapidly in areas where access
to safe water is limited, hygiene conditions are poor and populations
are weakened by food shortages.
He therefore; noted that surveillance and monitoring capacity have
been greatly strengthened, in early detection of COVID-19 outbreak.
