Community Transmission: Tension grips FCT residents as 12 test positive for COVID-19 in Mabushi
Fears of massive community transmission
of the Novel Coronavirus has hit the nation's Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja following the discovery of 12 positive cases in Mabushi, a local
community in the heart of the city.
On
Saturday, 49 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Nigeria, with 12 of
such cases in Abuja. There had been few cases in Mabushi but the
majority of cases uncovered on Saturday were from the village, with
health officials now putting the total at 12. One case was also
uncovered at Gishiri village, another low-income but densely populated
community in the territory. None of the identified cases had any recent
history of foreign travel or coming in contact with a returnee.
An
infectious disease expert in the Federal Capital Territory FCT
Administration who spoke on the condition that his identity be covered
as he was not authorised to speak to the Press, said the epidemiological
situation of the territory was worrying.
He
said; "Due to the fear of community transmission, we had embarked on
community active case search. We focused on Mpape due to its proximity
to Maitama where we had a lot of cases. Then we went to Gishiri. We got
one positive case. What is worrisome is the situation in Mabushi where
we have gotten 12 positive cases already".
He said officials are working round the clock to trace all contacts related to the identified cases.
While
he praised the FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello for his
assistance to health workers, he warned residents against trying to
circumvent the rules of the lockdown, describing the Covid-19 pandemic
as "an existential threat which must be tackled by all means possible".
While FCT had 81 confirmed cases as of Saturday night, there were 56 active cases, 23 discharged patients and two fatalities.
The
Federal Government had last week disclosed that it now has evidence of
"community transmission" of the Coronavirus, and stressed the need for
Nigerians to continue to obey all containment protocols put in place by
the Federal and sub-national governments.
According
to the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; "We have early evidence
of community transmission already which reinforces the urgency of
physical distancing, use of face masks particularly where you know you
cannot avoid the crowd and also the maintenance of hand and respiratory
hygiene as well as strict adherences to measures and regulations as
announced by the President yesterday".
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