Borno missing COVID-19 patients found, taken to isolation center

By RONKE IDOWU 

Two patients who have earlier gone missing after testing positive to COVID-19 in Borno State have been found.

The Borno State government had earlier on Sunday announced that two patients – Abbas Kaka Hassan (a 24-year-old male) and Hauwa Mohammed (42-year-old female) are on the run after testing positive to COVID-19 at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) in Borno State.

The State Governor Babagana Zulum however on Monday said via his official Twitter handle that the missing patients have been found.

Zulum in his post said a combined team of health surveillance and investigation team, backed by a police escort traced the male patient and found him in a critical state at his family house in Gwange II while the female patient reported herself.

“Abbas Kaka Hassan, a 24 year-old male, who tested positive for COVID-19 has been traced around 2am, in the early hours of today in Maiduguri, Borno’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Salisu Kwayabura, has confirmed.

“Hassan, who was tested at UMTH’s COVID-19 laboratory, was declared at large yesterday, after his phones and that of his mother were off.

“A combined team of health surveillance and investigation team, backed by a police escort, traced the patient in a critical state at his family house in Gwange 11. He was immediately moved on stretcher and is now on ventilator at an isolation centre,” the governor posted.

He added that contact tracing and surveillance team has been deployed to identify persons who may have had direct and indirect contacts with him, for risks assessment, isolation advise and collection of samples for tests.

According to the governor, the female patient, Hauwa Mohammed, reported herself to the UMTH and received apologies from the laboratory officials and Borno’s commissioner of health.

“The apology became necessary after Hauwa protested that she did not receive communication from the COVID-19 lab at UMTH or officials of the state response team asking her to come for hospital isolation even though she had been on self isolation since her sample was taken for test due to exposure of a confirmed case days back.

“Borno’s commissioner of health and secretary of the state’s high powered response team confirmed on Monday afternoon, that the patient brought herself in a very responsible and medically professional manner which was highly commendable,” the governor said.

He therefore announced that as a result of this, “all COVID-19 patients in Borno State are now fully accounted for.” (Channels TV)