Ex-Nigerian ambassador tests positive for coronavirus in Kano

Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Saturday night disclosed that a 75-year-old retired civil servant and former ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria got infected with the coronavirus following result of a test that came out which proved positive.

According to him, the state government took the blood samples of 10 suspected cases to Abuja three days ago in which nine came out negative, while that of the former ambassador was positive.

“He is a 75-year old retiree and former ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He travelled to Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja and came back to Kano on 25 March, 2020,” he stated.

Ganduje described the development as sad, pointing out that the state would take more drastic measures to ensure that the situation does not get out of hand.

“Indeed, it is a sad moment for us. This is an occasion that we are not happy with. I am unhappy to inform the people of Kano State that today (Saturday), we got a patient who tested positive to COVID-19.

“Today, it is confirmed that we have a case of COVID-19 in Kano. The former ambassador has no history of travelling abroad in recent times, but medical reports confirmed that he has health complications,” he said.

He further disclosed that the COVID-19 patient has already been taken to Kurna Dawakin Kudu Isolation Centre where he is receiving attention.

“There in Kurna Dawakin Kudu, we have 70 beds, ventilators and other facilities. What we are doing now is to trace those he has contacts with.

“We learnt that he attended a marriage ceremony– we are trying to get those who he had contacts with at the marriage ceremony. We also learnt that he attended Jumat last Friday, we are also tracing those who has contacts with him,” he added.

Ganduje further stated that a Private Hospital where the former ambassador had gone for normal treatment before he was found to be COVID-19 positive has been closed down, just as the doctors and nurses who attended to him have been traced.

He said the samples of all the family members of the former ambassador have been taken for test, adding that all the samples taken have been deposited at the COVID-19 test laboratory at Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital (AKTH).