Pastors Arrested in Kaduna
Two persons have reportedly run away after testing positive for Coronavirus at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Borno State.
The Commissioner of Health and Secretary to the State Response Team for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19, Dr Salisu Kwayabura, while briefing newsmen on Sunday at the Government House in Maiduguri, disclosed this.
The two persons are Abbas Kaka Hassan (a 24-year-old male) who lives in Layin Tanki in Gwange 11 and Hauwa Mohammed (42-year-old female) who lives in Shuwari ward.
According to the commissioner, Abbas Kaka Hassan was in initial telephone contact with the response team after his sample was collected, but finally switched off his phone when he learnt he tested positive.
He added that a phone number through which the patient’s mother was in touch with the team has also been switched off.
“When samples of patients with contacts to index cases are collected, they are normally advised to go on self-isolation. They give their contacts so they can be reached when the results are out.
“This is the standard medical procedure. You can’t detain someone with suspected contact. We do not have the lawful powers to do that.
“Other patients were also allowed to leave but they came into isolation centres and we have 19 of them in two isolation centres. However, the young man in question chose to go into hiding,” he said.
The commissioner ultimately pointed out that a strong surveillance and investigation team is working very hard to track the patients.