Despite Upsurge In COVID-19 Cases, Kano Govt Relaxes Lockdown

The Kano state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has announced the relaxation of lockdown order by six hours each on Mondays and Thursdays as a window to ease the total lockdown in the state.

The Kano state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has announced the relaxation of lockdown order by six hours each on Mondays and Thursdays as a window to ease the total lockdown in the state.

 

The governor made the announcement at a press briefing organised by the Kano State Government State Taskforce on COVID-19, held at the government house on Saturday.

 

He explained that the government has relaxed the lockdown by six hours each day from 10 am to 4 pm on Mondays and Thursdays. He added that all the major markets in the state would remain closed, except Yankaba and Yanlemo markets where vegetables and fruits are sold.

 

Mr Ganduje further stated that only supermarkets in the state will be allowed to operate within the six-hour timeframe, adding that customers must follow the COVID-19 protocols before they access the places.

 

“We have provided face masks, to be distributed to the people. I directed chairmen of the local government to also provide the face masks for their people. Afterwards, we will make it compulsory for everybody to wear it,” he said.

 

Mr Ganduje also expressed hope that with the increase in numbers test centres, the state would stamp out the pandemic. He also announced that Aliko Dangote had donated mobile testing centres with capacity of testing 400 samples in a day and 1000 sample in a week.

 

“The more we are getting the test, the more people who contracted the virus would be exposed and the more we stamp out the disease in our state. ”

 

What we just want is for the public to adhere strictly to the protocols of the COVID-19 and abide by the lockdown order in order to break the chain of the transmission,” The governor also assured the public that the more they don’t abuse by the lockdown order, the more the state government would be relaxing the directive as it monitors the situation.

 

Kano State recorded 118 coronavirus cases in two days, The PUNCH reports.

 

According to data obtained from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the state recorded 38 cases on Wednesday and 80 on Thursday.

 

The NCDC also said the state had recorded a total of Kano 219 cases with three deaths.

 

The increase in cases came three days after COVID-19 tests resumed in the state.

 

Since Nigeria recorded its index case on February 27, Kano has discharged no patient.

 

The NCDC said Kano’s new 80 COVID-19 cases were part of the 204 infections recorded in the country on Thursday.

 

71 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in Nigeria were recorded in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

 

Lagos has the highest cases of COVID-19 with 976 infections followed by Kano, which has 219 cases and Abuja with 178 cases.