Coronavirus: Kaduna family flee home as Lagos returnee allegedly presents symptoms

By STELLA KABRUK

Some residents of Kurmi Kaduna Community in Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna state, were on Wednesday, thrown into confusion after a Lagos-returnee presented feverish symptoms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the community members became more confused as family members of a 27-year-old man (names withheld), who returned from Lagos on April 5, deserted their home after he (returnee) presented feverish symptom similar to that of Coronavirus.

Malam Liman Hamsu, the Village Head of Kurmin Kaduna, told NAN that when the man displayed symptoms of high fever, his family members ran away from the house thinking he was having Coronavirus.

“The family ran away when the suspect began vomiting and exhibiting symptoms of high fever.

“Thereafter, the entire community became  tensed because all family members of the suspect ran away from him, thinking the man might have absconded from Lagos isolation center to take refuge in Kaduna,” Hamsu said.

According to him, members of the community had to call the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and health representatives from Igabi LGA, who said that the symptoms had no correlation with COVID-19.

“After several calls to the NCDC, the Centre sent representatives to our community to see the patient’s situation.

“Also, member of the health team from Igabi LGA came and confirmed that the suspected case was negative, without taking any sample,” he added.

He then appealed to members of the family to return as the case had been confirmed negative, adding that only the return of the members would allay the fears of the entire community. (NAN)