The Jigawa State government has announced four additional fatalities from COVID-19, taking the tally to seven.
The state’s task force chairman on COVID-19, Abba Zakari, on Monday, said 32 more persons recovered from the disease and were discharged.
“The ones that died at our isolation centres are three. There are also additional four that died at their houses, even before they came to (the) isolation centre, making a total of seven,” Mr Zakari said.
The official added that the state has concluded contact tracing of the latest deaths which occurred in Ringim, Birnin-Kudu and Gwaram.
He, however, did not give details on the deaths.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday also announced an additional seven deaths across the country. However, it did not mention the state (s) where the deaths occurred. Mr Zakari said four of the deaths occurred in Jigawa State.
The state has also commenced discharging of patients tested negative once, to provide for more space in the 240-bed isolation centres in the state.
The government also announced the lift of the lockdown in Birnin-Kudu, Gwaram and Gumel Local Government Areas.
Mr Zakari, while briefing journalists on the previous deaths from coronavirus, had described and identified the deceased. He, however, avoided questions on the recent deaths, which allegedly involved governor’s aides.
A political ally to Governor Muhammad Badaru, Ibrahim Isma’il, died while on self-isolation after exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
Before his death, Mr Ismail was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Adult and Higher Education and recently, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission.
