TheCable

Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, says the majority of confirmed coronavirus cases in the federal capital territory (FCT) are from the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)

Speaking at the presidential task force on COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, Ehanire said: “The grand majority of positive cases in Abuja are in AMAC region, perhaps with a few scattered in other places.”

The minister, however, warned against the stigmatisation of victims of COVID-19, saying it is nothing to be ashamed of.

“I also want to use this opportunity to speak against stigmatisation. We don’t want stigmatisation going on and people feeling this is something that is so terrible that you must be ashamed of or that you must not let people know,” he said.

“In the UK, the prime minister made his own known that he was undergoing treatment and also the crowned prince of England.

“The population should not drive stigma by wanting to know where people live so that you can avoid them.

“So, you take your own measures and also do not contribute to using that as an excuse for creating stigma”

Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said although the information about the location of patients in Abuja is available, it is the responsibility of the FCT administration to decide whether or not to share it.

He said it is important to respect the privacy of infected people, adding that anyone could be a victim.