Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus arrives Kano to unravel cause of deaths

By MURTALA ADEWALE, Kano

The presidential team on COVID-19 pandemic has arrived Kano State with full commitment to unravel the mystery behind the mass death in the state.

On arrival, leader of the presidential committee Dr Nasiru Sani Gwarzo led the technical team on a courtesy visit to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Tuesday at Government House.

Dr Gwarzo, who is also the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Industries, Commerce and Investment, told Governor Ganduje that the team had received matching order to evaluate the worrying situation in Kano and finding a lasting solution.

Dr Gwarzo said the experience of epidemiologists and other technical personnel in the team will be used to support the state task force to review cases of COVID-19 pandemic and determine whether or not the mysterious death has a connection with it.

“We are here to support the Kano and offer technical assistance. Our interest has directed is to interrupt further spread of the virus in Kano,” Gwarzo said.

“We are also mandated to evaluate the incessant death in the state and whether or not the cause of the death is natural or associated with COVID-19 pandemic.”

While receiving the presidential team, Governor Ganduje applauded president Muhammad Buhari’s decision to impose total lockdown in Kano to further curtail the spread of the virus.

Ganduje, who disclosed that the spread of COVID-19 pandemic is directly proportional to population density, noted that increasing cases in Kano was not unconnected to its population size.

He advocated urgent intervention in Kano’s fight against the virus and called for the immediate reopening of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) test centre in Kano to determine the status of large suspects.

Aside the total lockdown imposed on Kano, president Muhammad Buhari had directed the deployment of a presidential task force to offer all necessary human, material and technical resources to support the State in controlling and containing the pandemic. (The Guardian)