Sixteen Almajiri boys from Kano State have tested positive to COVID-19 in Kaduna state, bringing the total number of Almajirai, who tested positive for the virus in the state to 21.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had on Wednesday reported 17 new cases from Kaduna State but the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Mohammed-Baloni on Thursday said the actual number of new cases in Kaduna was 16 as the 17th case was a repeat test from an existing patient and said the attention of the NCDC has been drawn to the error.
Dr. Baloni, however, said the test result for the 16 Almajiri cases from Kano had returned positive from a sample of 40 persons adding that the latest case has raised the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state from nine to 25.
“The high number of positive results from persons with travel history from outside the state confirms the Kaduna State Government’s fears about the danger of infection from neighbouring states and the role of interstate travel in facilitating the spread of COVID-19 across state lines,” she said.
The Commissioner stated that as part of the implementation of the preventive measures, health officials are monitoring suspected COVID-19 cases who are believed to have sneaked into the state despite the ban on interstate travel.
Daily Trust reports that the state government on Monday announced that the five recorded cases of COVID-19 reported from the state had been Almajiri boys, who were repatriated from Kano.
Kaduna State has discharged six patients who recovered from the disease including the State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
