Taraba State Government through its Technical Committee on COVID-19 on Thursday presented hand sanitisers to Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Muslim Councils to distribute to their members in the state.
Innocent Vakkai, the state Commissioner for Health, who is also the Chairman of the Technical Committee on COVID-19 set up by the government, said the move was part of the government’s effort to stop the spread of the virus.
Presenting the hand sanitisers to representatives of CAN and Muslim Council at the event, Mr Vakkai maintained that the items were purchased by the government in furtherance of its resolve to ensure that the state was free from the pandemic.
Mr Vakkai also refuted media reports that Taraba recorded cases of the pandemic, saying that out of the three suspected cases, one had already tested negative and the result of the two were still being awaited.
“Contrary to rumours and reports that there are three cases of COVID-19 in Taraba, there is no single case of the virus in the state.
“Out of the three suspected cases that were sent to Abuja for testing, one was negative while the result of the remaining two are still being awaited.
“I, therefore, urge people of the state to disregard the report in its entirety as there is no need to panic.
“The state government is doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the virus in the state,” he said.
Mr Vakkai also disclosed that Governor Darius Ishaku had directed the Commissioner for Finance to make available an account through which individuals in the state who wished to contribute financially in combating the pandemic could lodge their contributions.
The commissioner also revealed that the state government had taken delivery of face masks and protective gears donated by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for the use of health workers in the state.
The Taraba government had on Wednesday shut down markets, churches and mosques to check the spread of the deadly virus.
(NAN)
