The Interview Editors
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has confirmed another case of COVID-19, bringing the number of cases in the state to two.
The second case is a medical doctor in one of the hospitals in Mubi, the commercial hub centre of the state
Governor made the announcement in a statewide broadcast on Tuesday.
“Just when we thought we are doing enough to flatten the curve with the tremendous progress our index case is making toward complete recovery, I received, yet again, another devastating update that out of the 8 samples we have pending at the NCDC Referral Lab in Abuja, one turned out positive, six are negative and one still pending.
“With this, I regret to announce that we now have 2 COVID-19 Confirmed cases in Adamawa State,’’ Fintiri said.
The governor further explained that the new case was not linked with the index case in the state.
“Last week, we sent eight samples to Abuja. Five were direct contacts of the index case as traced; while three were new suspicious cases who were showing symptoms.
He admitted that having an additional COVID-19 case in the state worried him.
“More disturbing is the fact that the victim is a Medical Doctor in one of our hospitals in Mubi, who must have had contact with many people in the course of discharging his duties lawfully.
“This indeed places on our shoulder, a herculean task of contact tracing which is not only tedious but strenuous.
“While the contact tracing is no doubt daunting, more scaring is the fact that we may be sliding into the most dangerous phase of the pandemic, which is Community transmission of the virus.
“It is on the note that our Index Case is a returnee from Kano, and therefore we are certain of how the disease was couriered into the State. But when the case is a doctor, resident in a public hospital with access to colleagues and countless patients, the level of Community Infection can best be imagined,” he said.
Face Masks Becomes Compulsory
Fintiri, while prevailing on the residents to uphold personal and environmental hygiene by avoiding crowd; maintaining social and physical distancing, also declared that wearing mouth and nose mask had now become compulsory for all citizens whenever they go out and in all public functions.
“At this point, I hereby declare that the wearing of mouth and nose mask is compulsory for all citizens whenever they go out and in all public functions. Our Disease Surveillance Officers are in all the Communities, and they are there to serve you.
“At this point in time, what is required is care not to fear. Hope not despairs. COVID-19 is no doubt real but not big enough to defeat us all. We must collectively, develop a mindset that inspires. Understanding that it is a disease that knows no boundary and protecting any suspicious or confirmed case against stigmatization, marks a fundamental community triumph over the disease.
He also announced that the state’s index case was in a stable condition.
The Case Management Team is attending to him with the best of care. He is recuperating fast, and we hope to have him back in our midst with love very soon,” Fintiri assured.
