TheCable

The Bauchi state government has discharged 20 more COVID-19 patients.

Bala Mohammed, governor of the state who broke the news, said the development has increased the number of recoveries from the disease to 89.

As of Sunday, three new cases were confirmed in the state, bringing the total number of cases to 215.

A total of three deaths have also been recorded.

“I am excited to announce the full recovery and discharge of another 20 formerly #COVID19 patients from our isolation centres. This brings the total number of discharged cases in the state to 89,” the governor said.

“As a state, we remain thankful to Allah for these successes and to our medical personnel for their steadfastness. I also thank the State TaskForce on COVID19 led by my deputy, and the security outfits and all stakeholders for their unrelenting efforts in these peculiar times.

“Importantly also, I commend all indigenes and residents of the state for their cooperation during this phase.”

I am excited to announce the full recovery and discharge of another 20 formerly #COVID19 patients from our isolation centres. This brings the total number of discharged cases in the state to 89.

— Senator Bala A. Mohammed (@SenBalaMohammed) May 18, 2020

As a state, we remain thankful to Allah for these successes and to our medical personnel for their steadfastness. I also thank the State TaskForce on #COVID19 led by my deputy, and the security outfits and all stakeholders for their unrelenting efforts in these peculiar times.

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— Senator Bala A. Mohammed (@SenBalaMohammed) May 18, 2020

Importantly also, I commend all indigenes and residents of the state for their cooperation during this phase.

— Senator Bala A. Mohammed (@SenBalaMohammed) May 18, 2020

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Earlier, Rilwanu Mohammed, executive chairman of the state healthcare development agency, (BASPHCDA), said many people in the state still believe that COVID-19 “is  fiction’’.

He said this has compounded the challenges faced by health workers who are tracing and treating people with the disease.

He added that some believe it is “a way of getting money” for the government.

He gave an example of a positive case on May 15 who rejected the result and declined to follow the health workers that had gone to evacuate him to an isolation centre.

He said in such a situation, security agents are usually engaged to compel the patient to move to an isolation centre for treatment.

“One of the things giving us problems in the course of tracing, testing and treating COVID-19 patients, is denial,” he said.

“We have some people, who say there is nothing like coronavirus in this world; they insist it’s a lie and just a way of getting money.

“They reject all the necessary protocols put in place to contain the spread of the virus-like washing of hands with soap, water and hand sanitiser or making use of face masks as well as maintaining social and physical distancing.

“We had three confirmed cases on May 15. Out of this number, one of them here in Bauchi insisted, he was not positive and he would not come for admission.

“In Azare, we have another group who insisted that nobody is going to test them and their father is one of the three COVID-19 death cases recorded in the state.

“We have informed the chairman, state task force on COVID-19, Sen. Baba Tela, who is also the deputy governor of Bauchi state.

“We have also informed the police, and soon, they will all be tested and the one, who tested positive will also be evacuated to an isolation centre.

He asked media in the state to keep enlightening the people and make them more aware of COVID-19.