The Co-Chairman of the Kano State Task Force on COVID-19, Professor Abdulrazak Garba Habib has tested positive for the deadly virus.
A statement by the State Ministry of Health confirmed the result while adding that three other members of the task force have equally tested positive for the virus.
The statement, which was signed for the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, explained that as at 11:15 am on Friday, Kano has only 21 cases of COVID -19 with a single death.
Already, the venue of their meetings at Nassarawa Specialists Hospital in the state has been shut down by the state government while some members of the task force are reported to be very reluctant to attend meetings, preferring to be communicated to relate electronically.
A source within the task force told Saturday Sun that following the development, blood samples of some members, especially those who had worked closely with Professor Habib in the coordinating subcommittee, have been taken for test adding that those affected are now awaiting their results.
“In fact, even this morning, one of the members was invited to present himself for the test. I guess he must have started showing the relevant symptoms, the reason they quickly asked him to go for test”, a source stated.
The source added that in line with the protocols, all those whose samples were taken had been advised to isolate themselves pending the outcome of the test.
Saturday Sun gathered that there are six sub-committees that constitute the State task force on COVID-19 and among them, the most active is the coordinating sub-committee, which meets regularly to draw up ideas on how to address the pandemic in the state.
Some of the members of the coordinating subcommittee include the state Deputy Governor, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gwanna, who is a co-Chairman and the daughter of the governor, Dr. Amina Ganduje, a consultant epidemiologist.
Asked if the co-chairman and the three members of the task force could be linked to the index case or reported cases in the state, the source explained that most of the members of the coordinating committee were medical doctors, who have been dealing with various situations and cases, even outside their work as task force members.
“For instance, the Professor is the head of the Infectious Disease Unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano and he has also been active in and out of the state in the discharge of his responsibility. This cannot be linked to the index case”, the source told Saturday Sun.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the press secretary of the deputy governor, Hassan Musa Fagge, Friday announced that the result of the test conducted on his principal had returned negative.
