Zamfara reported no new cases of locally transmitted coronavirus in more than 50 days since its first infection was reported by the state at the end of April, marking a major turning point in Nigeria ‘s fight to contain COVID-19.
The milestone is likely to be seen as evidence of the continuing progress of the state government in restricting the spread of the virus to less than a hundred, amid claims that local authorities are not using enough test samples.
On April 25, the governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, announced two index cases of COVID-19 in the north-western state.
This came a few weeks after the government announced the procurement of 12 ventilators and 20,000 test kits for its isolation centers, according to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Zailani Baffa.
At the end of May, the Zamfara branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) reported that eight of its members tested positive for coronavirus while treating patients at various health facilities in the state.
On 8 June, the authorities in Zamfara celebrated 14 days with no new local infection after 76 confirmed cases had been reported by the state, resulting in five deaths.
As of the time of publication, the North-West state bounded by the Sokoto State to the North has not reported a single case in the past 54 days, according to data from the Nigerian Infectious Disease Agency, NCDC.
Talking to the State Governor ‘s spokesperson, Mr. Baffa, in a telephone interview on Friday morning, explained how the state reacted promptly to the outbreak.
Mr. Baffa said that the state government adhered to all federal government rules, including the closing of schools, borders and markets, as well as the protection of social distinctions and the strict use of face masks by the public.
“Even before Zamfara recorded its index case, the state government has already set up two committees: one is in charge of enlightening the people about the virus and providing palliatives to cushion the adverse impact of the lockdowns as well as providing cleaning products for free.
“The other committee was in charge of providing support for the two infectious disease centres set up in Gusau and Damba.
“We provide more than 100 beds for the two centres, 12 ventilators, test kits and thousands of facemasks.”
The official said fumigation of streets, markets and public places were done constantly. “We also did aerial fumigation and enforced all safety protocols.”
“When we started having problem(s), what we did is that once a case is found in a particular place, we move in, surround the area, isolate the confirmed cases and trace contacts.
“After sometime, the highest case we had was 76. Out of these, five died unfortunately but 71 have recovered and sent home. Since then, we have not seen a single new case.
“Even when the northern governors agreed that all Almajiri children should return to their various states. The Zamfara governor asked all Almajiri from the state to return. They were received at the state border where they were all tested before allowed in,” he explained.
As the danger in Zamfara has decreased, with more than 4 million people, including about 800 thousand children under the age of five, the national rate of infection continues to accelerate, with other states across the country now grappling with fast-growing outbreaks of their own.
As of Friday morning, almost 35,000 people had been infected by the virus, which first landed in Nigeria at the end of February in an Italian man, according to the latest NCDC report.
Approximately 14,292 patients were discharged after diagnosis in the 36 countries of the country and the Federal Capital Territory. More than 750 of them died.
Nigeria has 19,793 active cases.
Lagos remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with a total of 13,097 infections and 176 deaths. Almost 2 000 patients were discharged after treatment, while more than 10 000 patients were admitted to the city.
Nigeria ‘s commercial nerve is followed by Abuja, the nation’s capital, with 2,761 diseases and 39 deaths. Since then, Oyo has displaced Kano to become the third country with the largest caseload, with 1,989 cases and 19 deaths.
Nigeria is the West African nation most affected by coronavirus infection.
It has tested among 202,097 of its 200 million people.
Health experts believe that there is a gross undercount of infection, questioning the government’s ability to test, especially after new symptoms of loss of senses of smell and taste have emerged.