TheCable

Some residents of Kano are living in fear over the increasing death rate amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The increase in the toll comes at the time the state witnessed a spike in COVID-19 cases. As of Friday, 74 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Kano.

One of the health workers at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital who spoke with TheCable, however, said he feared there are more cases than recorded as the state lacks testing capacity.

“Things are in disarray here, and there is no well structured response to COVID-19. The government is not communicating. They are not testing, and people are dying. We have had people coming here to hospital and when they died, they are immediately buried without taking samples for testing,” he said.

“This is not a rumour. People are dying. The suspended test centre was fumigated days ago, and normally it should take 48 hours but as of today, it has not been reopened. They said this is because of the shortage of reagents.”

He also said there is a high level of suspicion that top government officials in the state have been exposed to the virus.

Umar Khaleel, a Facebook user based in Kano, said his grandmother was the 14th person to be taken for burial at a cemetery in the state as of 10am on Friday.

Upon getting home, Khaleel said they were informed of the death of another family member. He said they took his body to the same cemetery at about 2pm, and he was the 25th person to be buried that day.

Ganduje has tried to allay the fear of residents but they are still worried

“As at the time we left the cemetery, 7 new graves had been dug and were awaiting dead bodies,” he wrote in a post.

Another source whose uncle died Friday night said he was doing fine in the early hours until suddenly he fell ill and died immediately.

Zainab Mahmoud, a Twitter user, said she and her colleagues decided to investigate the deaths in Kano, and by day two, they had received reports of over 100 deaths.

“A large number highly suspicious for COVID-19,” she tweeted.

Three days ago my colleagues and I decided to investigate the deaths in Kano. By day 2, we had received reports of over 100 deceased people. A large number highly suspicious for COVID 19.

Three days ago my colleagues and I decided to investigate the deaths in Kano. By day 2, we had received reports of over 100 deceased people. A large number highly suspicious for COVID 19.

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— Zainab Mahmoud (@iNabmahmoud) April 25, 2020

Mubarak Umar, an Abuja/Kano based journalist, also tweeted a list of more than 10 prominent persons that died on Saturday in Kano which include an ex grand khadi, former deputy vice chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), and a former chairman of the state universal basic education board.

Kano lost the following personalities today:

•Prof Ibrahim Ayagi, CEO of Hassan •Gwarzo School
•Alh. Dahiru Rabiu, Former Grand Khadi
•Dr. Musa Umar Gwarzo
•Mal Musa Tijjani, former Editor of Triumph Newspaper
•Alh. Adamu Isyaku Dal, former SUBEB Boss
•Alh Salisu Lado

Kano lost the following personalities today:

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•Prof Ibrahim Ayagi, CEO of Hassan •Gwarzo School
•Alh. Dahiru Rabiu, Former Grand Khadi
•Dr. Musa Umar Gwarzo
•Mal Musa Tijjani, former Editor of Triumph Newspaper
•Alh. Adamu Isyaku Dal, former SUBEB Boss
•Alh Salisu Lado

— Mubarak Umar (@Mubarack_Umar) April 25, 2020

Some undertakers in the state had earlier expressed worries over the increasing rate of burials.

Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, the governor’s spokesperson, did not immediately respond to a message seeking his reaction to the development.

But Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, who had dismissed the reports of unusual burials, has admitted that the state is passing through tough times.

At a press conference on Saturday, he said the state government had rented a hotel where suspected cases whose blood samples were taken are kept, adding that the isolation centre at Sani Abacha Stadium can accommodate 210 people.

Tests haven’t been conducted in Kano for three days after it was shut over the exposure of some key officials to COVID-19

The governor said the isolation centre at Kurna Dawakin Kudu where the intensive care unit (ICU) is situated is also active, though there are challenges of ventilators and other major facilities, while the 100-bed isolation centre at Muhammadu Buhari Specialist hospital is also working.

He appealed to the federal government for assistance, disclosing that Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man who hails from the state, has promised to make some donations.

Below are some of the reactions over the death toll in Kano:

I have just been informed the First brank group head in Kano has died from Coronavirus.

He was dead before his results came in positive for Covid19. The first bank main branch in Kano has now been closed.

This is the same Kano that has done no tests in 3days now. God help us.

I have just been informed the First brank group head in Kano has died from Coronavirus.

He was dead before his results came in positive for Covid19. The first bank main branch in Kano has now been closed.

This is the same Kano that has done no tests in 3days now. God help us.

— #OurFavOnlineDoc 🛂 (@DrOlufunmilayo) April 25, 2020

Lockdown in Kano can only work if people feel secured. Family can’t just sit down while their loved ones are dying – and expect them to abide by law. Today alone, I received obituary of at least 20 people.

Lockdown in Kano can only work if people feel secured. Family can't just sit down while their loved ones are dying – and expect them to abide by law. Today alone, I received obituary of at least 20 people.

— Mubarak Umar (@Mubarack_Umar) April 25, 2020

The Facebook pages of my friends from Kano have become obituary boards, and there’s no way to defend that it’s normal. The mortality rate in Kano seems to have surged, and even though it’s not been linked to any disease yet, it’s important to determine the causes of these deaths.

The Facebook pages of my friends from Kano have become obituary boards, and there’s no way to defend that it’s normal. The mortality rate in Kano seems to have surged, and even though it’s not been linked to any disease yet, it’s important to determine the causes of these deaths.

— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) April 25, 2020

Dear Kano state government, an immediate action needs to be taken on the situation of Kano state, don't let our people turn into something else, people need food, hunger is now posing threat to their lives, they can't survive sitting home without eating, gov't must make a move.

— X A R A H 👸💜🌷🍫 (@XahraBKumbo) April 25, 2020