Olalekan Adetayo, Friday Olokor, Adelani Adepegba, Ade Adesomoju and Dayo Ojerinde
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, on Monday said the South-East geopolitical region was not conducting enough COVID-19 tests.
Ihekweazu, who stated this at the press briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, said the low number of tests being conducted in the South-East was responsible for the fewer number of confirmed cases in the zone. He said the situation did not reflect the reality on the ground.
The NCDC DG said this just as the PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, at the press conference said the country had conducted 80,000 COVID-19 tests.
On his part, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said investigations into strange deaths in Kano State in April showed that between 50 and 60 per cent of the 979 deaths in the state were caused by COVID-19.
We expect more cases from S’East – DG
The NCDC director- general, while responding to a question, said there was no reason why the South-East should not have more cases than it had because of the itinerant nature of the Igbo.
Ihekweazu was responding to a question on Abia State, which recorded 67 COVID-19 cases on Sunday bringing the total figure to 85.
The Abia State Government on Monday confirmed that the state Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, had tested positive for COVID-19.
As of Sunday night, the six states in the South-West had recorded a total of 6,607 cases; South-East, 315 cases; South-South, 956 cases; North-West, 2,267 cases; North- East, 976 cases and North-Central, 422 cases.
As of June 2 which was the last date the NCDC released test figures on its website, South-West had conducted 30,056 tests; South-East, 1,723; South-South, 4,992 tests; North -West, 12,797 tests; North-East, 6,509 tests and North Central, 4,156.
Low COVID-19 cases in S’East not reflection Igbo travelling nature – NCDC
But on Monday, the NCDC DG said the centre was not surprised by the upsurge in COVID-19 cases in Abia State.
He said, “We were in a way surprised and not too surprised because we know that the testing numbers in the South-East have been low and this has been an advocacy point for me.
“We have reached out to all the states in the South-East. We know the people in the South-East travel a lot and there is no reason why there won’t be more cases there given the tendency to travel.”
Ihekweazu noted that the PTF was worried about the insufficient data emanating from the region, adding that with improved testing capacity, more infections would be recorded.
According to him, more cases will enable the government to isolate the patients from the rest of society and prevent further infections.
He noted, “From the very beginning, we were always worried about the insufficient data coming out from the South-East. Initially, it was thought to be about testing, but we have improved access to testing capacity now.
“Yes, we have seen the number of cases being reported from Abia; I think that’s a good thing because the more you identify the number of cases, you are then able to institute and prioritise the measures you need to prevent further cases.
“You are able to exclude them from the rest of society, make sure they don’t transmit to others.”
The NCDC director said he observed a renewed vigour in the Abia State health workers during a virtual meeting with state epidemiologists last week.
He further encouraged every state to be proactive, noting that higher cases did not mean a state was not handling the pandemic well.
“Nobody is criticizing Lagos for having half of the cases in the country; in fact, we praise them for doing well because they have responded effectively. That is really what we want to encourage every state to do,” Ihekweazu stated.
The NCDC chief disclosed that the government was discussing with the World Bank on high intervention programmes which were expected to strengthen the healthcare system in the country and build the capacity of health workers.
Reacting to allegations of financial impropriety levelled against the NCDC, Ihekweazu said that the centre would account for the money it spent.
80,000 COVID-19 tests conducted – SGF
The PTF chairman said over 80,000 tests have been conducted in the country, adding that 13,000 health workers had been trained, increasing the human resources available for case management.
According to him, the number of beds available for isolation and case management has increased from 3000 beds to 5000 beds nationwide.
Kano recorded 979 strange deaths – FG
The minister of health said the committee that investigated strange deaths in Kano had submitted its report, saying between 50 and 60 per cent of the deaths were caused by COVID-19.
In April, no fewer than 800 people were reported to have died of illnesses that could not be explained.But the state government said that the deaths were not caused by COVID-19.
Ehanaire on Monday said many of the deaths were caused by COVID-19.
He explained that graveyard records and verbal autopsy revealed that the majority of the recorded fatalities were above 65 years of age.
979 deaths in Kano 8 LGAs
Ehanire said, “With regard to unexplained deaths in Kano, which occurred in April, the team confirmed from graveyard records, that a total of 979 deaths were recorded in eight municipal LGAs in the state at a rate of 43 deaths per day, with a peak in the second week of April.
“By the beginning of May, the death rate had reduced to the 11 deaths per day it used to be. The verbal autopsy revealed that about 56 per cent of deaths had occurred at home while 38 per cent were in hospitals.
“With circumstantial evidence as all to go by, investigation suggests that between 50 and 60 per cent of the deaths may have been triggered by or due to COVID-19, in the face of preexisting ailments. Most fatalities were over 65 years of age.
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