How more than 100 deaths in Jigawa related to Covid-19; why NCDC refused to report this

Residents of Hadejia, Jigawa, have been overwhelmed with unexplained over deaths within the area in the last few days.

According to the local government council authorities, over 100, largely old people, died in the last 10 days.

Covid-19 spread to Jigawa April 28, infecting 39, and killing one so far, according to the NCDC.

But the centre cannot capture these deaths in Hadeija because of their nature: collateral damage of the pandemic.

A similar experience in Kano, however, confirmed such deaths are related to Covid-19—remotely though.

According to Kano Gov. Umar Ganduje last week, more than 100 people died within days because they could not maintain their badly broken helth and underlying conditions.

He added that the lockdown and concentration of health institutions on treating Covid-19 victims made medical check-up difficult for other citizens—mostly old men and women of means who could have travelled abroad for better attention.

A presidential task force comprising health experts and NCDC scientists were dispatched to Kano to figure out the cause of those deaths. The initial report confirmed just some of the casualties were really infected, though the team has yet to go public with their findings.

The Jigawa government has also constituted a five-man committee to investigate the increasing number of deaths in Hadeija.

The state’s COVID 19 Task Force Chairman and Health Commissioner  Abba Zakari disclosed this in Dutse on Monday.

The committee is chaired by Dr Mahmud Abdulwahab, with Shehu Mohd, Yusuf Hakimi, Shehu Sule, and representatives of the World Health Organization, WHO, as members.

Zakari noted that the committee is expected to submit their reports within three days and make recommendations for appropriate actions.

Covid-19 has infected close 2500 Nigerians, and have killed no fewer than 80. More than 400 victims have recovered so far.