The Gombe State special task force on (COVID-19) says the state is on red alert and has activated a rapid response team in the 11 Local Government Area LGA of the state.
Dr Mohammed Ahmed Gana, the state Commissioner of Health made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on yesterday in Gombe on the update of its activities as inaugurated by Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
According to Gana, the activation of the response team is as a result of the state government resolve to ensure that there was a link to report suspected cases of the Coronavirus from all LGAs for the swift response by the central team at the state headquarters.
He stated that the state government had put in place through the taskforce several scenarios which will ensure proper coordination of activities from every local government.
“With the state-level response team to coordinate activities of responding to emergencies and suspected cases.
“We are in the process equipping our isolation centre in the state specialist hospital. We have also converted a hospital built by Yamaltu-Deba LGA in Kwadon community, which was handed over to the state government for upgrading to a cottage hospital, to an isolation centre for management of mild and moderate cases of (COVID-19).”
Dr Gana added that more hospitals were being identified and converted to isolation centres, while the task force was working on building the capacity of the state to be able to detect and test suspected cases without travelling out to Abuja.
The Gombe commissioner also hinted that though no case had been recorded in the state, four persons had been identified and advised to go into self-isolation over their contact with the Bauchi State governor who has been tested positive for the virus.
While confirming that no signs or symptoms of the virus were seen on any of the four persons, he stated that the task force had taken precautionary measures in that regard.
“We advised them to go into self-isolation while we await test results from the samples taken from them. We are also in close surveillance and are monitoring them,” Gana said.
While commending the good people of the state for their understanding at a time like this, he, however, decried that series of fake news that was being peddled on social media platforms, stressing “ these rumours are capable of killing people, let’s face the reality of (COVID-19) as it is not a joking matter.
“We have had enough of the rumours being spread and we are telling our people that our regular briefing should be the only channel for them to get information about (COVID-19),” he said.
The commissioner also hinted that the task force may consider shutting down any section of or the whole state once a case is confirmed. “We would rather shut down and suffer than to have the virus spread and kill us all.”
He urged residents to “stay safe and observe all precautionary measures outlined by relevant government agencies.”
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