Kano state govt dismisses rumour of mass COVID-19 deaths

By KOLADE ADEYEMI, Kano

Kano State Government on Monday dismissed rumour of mass death in Kano, following the high rate in activities on a number of cemetery located within the metropolis.

Auwalu Abdu Fagge, State Health Educator/ Secretary, Risk Communication Sub Committee on COVID-19 in a statement obtained by The Nation said “this particular rumour has been investigated and found to be untrue and must be dispelled.”

The Secretary, Risk Communication Sub Committee on COVID-19 also explained that “the task force has activated community informants structure of WHO to report death and cause of death and have also deployed officers to all burial grounds to count bodies brought in for burial everyday (the workers would conduct 2 shifts).”

The Government’s reaction came on the heels of panic by residents over unexplained death in the city within the past three days.

Attendants and Undertakers at the Dandolo Cemetery in Goron Dutse within the metropolis told reporters that 61 dead were buried between Saturday and Sunday alone.

Similarly, at the Gyadi-gyadi Cemetery located at Court Road within the metropolis, 31 were buried on Saturday alone.

The Farm Centre Cemetery also within the metropolis witnessed 27 burials just on Saturday.

The Abattoir Cemetery around Kofar Mazugal in the metropolis saw the burial of 13 people from Zango Quarters alone within three days last week.

Between Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Chedi, Ciromawa, Dorayi, Sharifai, Zage, an unascertained number of people died and were buried at the Abattoir Cemetery,, as well as 8 people were buried Monday morning, at Kulkul quarters in the city.

Auwalu Abdu Fagge, therefore, appealed to residents to “kindly disregard the rumours of having mass deaths recently in Kano metropolis.”

According to the government official “honestly, the media and rumour mongers have been trying their best in making us dispense energy in warding them off.”

He however assured that “we can not afford to let the good people of Kano to panic and loose confidence in our response. I must state that we are more courageous than ever in a bid to contain this pandemic.” (The Nation)