4 of 6 coronavirus patients in Bauchi test negative

News Agency Of Nigeria 17:15 - 16 April 2020

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Eugene Amuri, a vendor at the Kimironko market wears a handmade "kitenge" cloth mask as he attempts to protect against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kigali, Rwanda March 17, 2020. (REUTERS/Maggie Andresen)

 The Bauchi State Government says four out of the six index patients of Coronavirus in the state have tested negative and have been discharged.

The state’s Deputy Governor Alhaji Baba Tela, who is also the Chairman of Bauchi State Task Force Committee on COVID-19 and Lassa fever, disclosed this on Thursday in Bauchi.

According to Tela, the state as of Thursday, April 16 has only two patients at its isolation centre.

He added that one of the two patients had tested negative on his first test, the result of a second test would come after 24 hours.

“If the result comes out negative, we will discharge him,” he said.

Tela said that the state government was currently tracing 391 persons who might have had direct contact with the index cases in the state.

The deputy governor revealed that Gov. Bala Mohammed had constituted a very high powered committee for the establishment of a testing centre in the state.

“The governor of Bauchi State has ordered and formed a very high powered committee, to as soon as possible see to the establishment of a testing centre in Bauchi,” he said.

He also said that the state government had approved N1.98 million for the procurement of Virus Transport Medium (VTM), adding that there had been contributions from philanthropists to the fight against the virus in the state.