Task Force links Kano mysterious deaths to COVID-19

Governor Ganduje of Kano State

The Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force set up for Kano on Covid-19, Dr. Sani Gwarzo, has linked the recent mysterious deaths in Kano to Covid-19.

Kano State Government had initially denied that the mysterious deaths involving some of the prominent citizens of the State were due to Covid-19 infections.

However, the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje later approved conduct of verbal autopsies to ascertain the cause of the  death of the prominent individuals whose remains were usually buried few hours after they passed on in accordance to Islamic tradition.

The verbal autopsies were to be conducted with the support of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the government had agreed on “verbal autopsy” to ascertain the cause of the deaths.

However, Gwarzo told journalists on Sunday in Kano that investigations so fa had shown that COVID-19 is responsible for some of the deaths, adding that the result of the verbal autopsies will be ready in about a week.

He spoke during the official presentation and handing over of the mobile testing laboratory the Aliko Dangote Foundation donated to Kano government.

“Let me inform us that most of the deaths recorded of recent and test carried out showed that coronavirus was the cause,” he said.

“So, before the final report which would be ready in the next one week or few days, it is necessary for people of Kano to wake up from their slumber that this is a serious issue.

“We need to know what is happening we are successful in identifying what the problems are and secondly we are happy on the level of cooperation the private sector and other stake holders. Many people have come out to support the state we cannot expand our investigation until we are certain.

“We have five cogent reasons to say that the mass death recorded in Kano is associated with coronavirus.”

Gwarzo added that  the age of the deceased persons, concentration of the people in one place and test we have constructed  indicated element of COVID-19.