2 health workers test positive for coronavirus in Plateau

Dr Nimkong Lar, the State’s Commissioner of Health, made the disclosure on Wednesday at Government House, Jos, after an emergency Executive Council meeting.

Lar, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Martin Azzuwut, said the health workers were among the 15 new cases confirmed on Tuesday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

He explained that the new cases had increased the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state to 50.

The commissioner said that four patients were discharged on Tuesday, bringing the total number of patients discharged so far in the state to 15, while 35 were still receiving treatment in isolation centres.

“Of the 15 confirmed cases, 11 are linked to the case of the first COVID-19 dead patient in the state, and two are health workers.

“We currently have 11 patients in Plateau specialist Hospital, nine in Jos University Teaching Hospital, four were discharged yesterday and the 15 confirmed cases of yesterday are being moved to isolation centres for treatment,” he said.

Lar said that Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos, had declared their capacity to conduct COVID-19 tests but were waiting to be assessed by NCDC before they start.

He explained that the approval would reduce the turnaround time for results from the National Veterinary Research Institute owing to the volume of samples they receive daily for testing.

The commissioner said that the state was currently training two health workers from each from the over 1,000 primary health centres across the state.

He added that volunteers would also be trained to assist in community engagement in order to curtail the spread of the disease in communities.

Also, the Commissioner of Information, Mr Dan Manjang, said that the state executive council gave approval to engage a consultant to boost the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) in the state from its current N600 million to N3 billion monthly.

He said council also approved the payment of N127 million to a company, for bulk purchase of water purification chemicals contracted since 2016 in the state

Manja said the state government had constituted a Post COVID-19 economic committee to proffer strategies on economic recovery after the pandemic.

He said that a committee had also been established for the implementation of mobile laboratory to test for COVID -19 in rural areas.