COVID-19 DEATH: Nassarawa records first mortality, He was a member of Nassarawa state House of Assembly, as government shutdown Assembly complex, House members to be quarantined

COVID-19 DEATH: Nassarawa records first mortality, He was a member of Nassarawa state House of Assembly, as government shutdown Assembly complex, House members to be quarantined

Nasarawa state has recorded it’s first death that resulted from the infectious Coronavirus.

The state Taskforce Chairman on Covid 19, Doctor Emmanuel Akabe disclosed this at an emergency meeting with members of the Emergency Operation Centre, EOC team in Lafia.

The Chairman, Taskforce on Covid 19 and Deputy Governor of the state, Emmanuel Akabe noted that the deceased was a high profile politician who was until his demise from the Covid 19 a member of the state House of Assembly.

According to the Deputy Governor, the deceased was confirmed positive after his samples were taken to Abuja following manifestation of symptoms that resembled those of the Coronavirus.

Doctor Akabe expressed concern with the manner the remains of the deceased lawmaker were handled during the burial despite advocacy on the existence of the pandemic and sensitisation on physical spacing, stressing that Nasarawa state has nineteen confirmed cases as at Saturday.

The Chairman, taskforce on Covid nineteen said the state House of Assembly shall remain shut and fumigated while its members are advised to go on self-isolation, and the residence of the late politician will be cordoned immediately to avoid community transmission.

Doctor Akabe maintained that the meeting had resolved to advise government to totally shutdown Nasarawa, Keffi, Kokona, Lafia and Obi Local government areas in addition to Karu as part of measures to ensure strict compliance and curb further spread of Covid 19.

The Deputy Governor also tasked the EOC team to redouble its efforts in contact tracing, calling on all involved in the management of coronavirus patients to strive to give daily updates of their health condition while assuring frontline Incident Managers of Covid 19 that they would be adequately taken care of by government.

Deputy Governor’s Office correspondent reports that logistics, the need to increase palliatives in local government areas under lockdown, making data available and accessible, dealing with possible surge of coronavirus in the state took the centre stage of discourse.

Other issues that were brought to the fore include movement of almajiris, giving care and medicament to HIV patients, antenatal care and immunization amidst rising cases of the Covid 19 with members of the EOC team making valuable inputs on the way forward.