The State Standing Committee on Covid-19 has confirmed that seven new cases were recorded in the state on Thursday, 7th May 2020. Kaduna State now has 82 active cases, having discharged 10 patients and recorded one fatality.
The latest cases include four persons with travel history outside the state, a senior citizen who received many visitors at home and two persons in the police barracks who are contacts of one of the policemen who tested positive.
Positive Covid-19 test results have been recorded from seven local government areas: Giwa, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Makarfi, Soba and Zaria. An overwhelming majority of Covid-19 cases in the state have travel history, and the status of these infected persons straddles social categories. The consequence of such illegal travel is the widening spread of the virus into the state, and not just into the cities. Infections have now been recorded in some mainly rural local governments on the borders of the state. This has increased the danger of community transmission of the virus. As the situation in neighbouring states show, our health system could be easily overwhelmed if such is allowed to happen.
The Standing Committee appeals for the vigilance and active involvement of all citizens in the effort to avert this peril. Many citizens of Kaduna State have endured inconveniences and consistently complied with the restriction of movement, including the prohibition of non-essential interstate movement. These sacrifices are being jeopardized by the actions of persons who violate the Quarantine Orders, and the misconduct of some law enforcement officers that have facilitated and indulged this grossly irresponsible pattern of interstate travel.
This has compelled the state government to take action to blockade many of the entry points and to deploy its senior officials from their other vital roles to personally man these borders.
The state government continues to engage the leadership of the concerned agencies on these dangerous lapses, given its consistent support for the security agencies posted to the state.
The Standing Committee appeals to the vast majority of law-abiding citizens to continue to expose and report persons engaged in interstate travel or who sneak into their communities. All citizens should please consistently exercise the personal responsibility and compliance with health protocols that have been outlined to help beat Covid-19.
