The governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed has declared a total lockdown of Katagum, Giade and Zaki Local Government Areas following reports of deaths and community transmission which has increased the positive cases of COVID-19 to 181 in the state.
The governor who addressed newsmen, Sunday, said the total lockdown of the three LGAs was necessary to curtail the rapid community transmission.
He said the lockdown which would last for a period of 10 days, would start on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
Bala said “Total lockdown on the 3 LGAs is necessary; we just got result of about 66 cases, 42 of which were from Azare alone. And we have found out that most of the cases from Azare is as a result of community transmission; people are not adhering to guidelines in that axis, because there have been transaction going on between the people of Azare and Kano were the covid-19 pandemic is high.”
The governor directed the State Deputy Governor Senator Baba Tela to relocate to Katagum axis to properly coordinate response that will ensure massive contact tracing and testing to enable the state government establish the actual number of people who contracted the disease.
He added that “We mean business and we are serious, that is why I asked the Deputy Governor to relocate to Katagum while I take charge at the centre. I had a conversation with the commissioner of Police to ensure total compliance.
“We have already contacted the traditional leaders in the 3 LGAs and we have obtained their buy-in,” the governor explains.
Bala also directed the committee on palliatives to ensure that the people of the affected LGAs are supported with food items to ease hardship during the lockdown.
The governor also said the state government will fumigate the 3 local government areas during the lockdown, which he hopes will reduce the reported community transmission.
He appealed to the Jos testing centre at Vom to help Bauchi state intensify testing and timely release of results pending when the state’s test centre will be ready.
On the issue of the actual number of people that have died in Azare as reported in some section of the media, the governor said “it’s 150 people that have died in the last 30 days, and not 300 people as reported in the media.”
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