Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said on Wednesday he has recovered from COVID-19 (Coronavirus) after testing negative twice.
El-Rufai added that as survivor of the virus, which he described as a threat to humanity, he will not wish his worst enemy to be COVID-19 positive.
The governor, in a live broadcast to the people of the state, said, “I am delighted to report today (Wednesday) that after nearly four weeks of observing a strict medical regime, I have now received the ‘all-clear’ after two consecutive negative test results.”
The governor tested positive for COVID-19 on March 28, and had gone into isolation with the supervision of healthcare professionals.
El-Rufai said he was managed by medical personnel from the state’s Ministry of Health and the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna
His words: “I thank Almighty Allah for His grace and mercy. I also acknowledge with gratitude the massive outpouring of sympathy, prayers and public support that followed the disclosure of the infection.
“My family not only went through the trauma of potentially losing a member, but also the risk of being infected as well. The entire family has been supportive as usual, while my many friends and colleagues from all over the world have sent their prayers and best wishes.
“I wish to thank the diligent medical personnel of our Ministry of Health and the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, who managed my case for their dedicated and professional care.
“It was cheering to see the determined efforts of our Covid-19 Task Force chaired by the deputy governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, the officials of our Ministry of Health, ably led by the Commissioner, and our security/enforcement agencies, to manage and contain the spread of Covid-19 in the state.
“I wish to acknowledge our deputy governor for her reassuring leadership of our team in my absence. In this trying period, our senior officials have demonstrated admirable commitment and the flexibility to provide governance in circumstances that are so different from the old normal.
“The commitment, competence and capabilities displayed by the Kaduna State Government in my four-week absence is clear evidence that we have a public service we can all be proud of.
“I am relieved by my recovery. With the privilege of life, sound health, and the support and prayers of our citizens, I will continue to lead the Kaduna State Government’s efforts to ensure that as few of our people as possible get infected by Covid-19, and that those who do can receive adequate and timely care and treatment.
“Our emphasis is rightly on prevention because it is the prudent thing to do to save lives, given the limited capacity of our health system.
“I am delighted by the recovery of four other COVID-19 cases who were discharged last week, which was followed yesterday with the discharge of a fifth patient. On Monday, we received the sad news of three more positive cases in Kaduna State. They will receive the best care that our dedicated health professionals can muster and we wish them speedy recovery from Covid-19.
“We must all work hard to ensure that we keep COVID-19 out of Kaduna State. We have lower infection rates than expected due to stringent measures we imposed in our state, but we cannot let our guards down. We are in dangerous times. This disease is a threat to our humanity, our lives and livelihoods. As someone that has experienced it, I will not wish it on my worst enemy.”
The governor also said he had issued another amendment to the Quarantine Regulations requiring everyone in the state to wear a face mask when going out of their home or workplace.
He added that the government would make the masks available free to the poor and vulnerable groups.