Nasarawa State has recorded its first confirmed case of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Governor Abdullahi Sule confirmed the development while briefing newsmen in Lafia on Tuesday.

Governor Sule said “the patient is a 25-year-old lady who recently travelled from Kano state to Kokona local government area of the state.’’

Samples tested
He stated that samples were recently taken from five persons and tested at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) designated laboratory, the results came back on Monday, April 27, with four coming out negative, while one was positive.

“Four out of the five, including the lady that was said to have ran away from Abuja and isolated in Akwanga, their results came out yesterday and were negative.

“However, we are not that lucky with the fifth case. It is sad for me to announce that Nasarawa State has its first case of COVID-19,” the Governor e explained

Governor Sule added that the lady has been evacuated from Kokona to an Isolation Centre in Lafia where there are better facilities to manage her case.

He explained that the family members of the patient have been quarantined and would be tested to ascertain their status.

The Governor, however, decried the attitude of people towards health personnel working to contain the virus.

Governor Sule recalled that efforts by health personnel to get sample of the confirmed case was initially resisted by family member, who hid the lady.

“I want to use this opportunity to encourage our people, especially the traders that continue to travel to some of these high risk places like Lagos and Kano to desist as they could be doing more harm to their family than even the state.

“So I encourage our people to bear with the government against all these travels at this moment especially to areas of high risk,” he said.

Governor Sule also encouraged residents to quickly embrace testing if they noticed any symptoms, stressing that “COVID-19 is not a death sentence.”

The governor, therefore, urged the people of the state to continue to adhere to all safety directives, especially physical distancing and maintaining personal hygiene.

By Mercy Chukwudiebere