COVID-19: Nasarawa State cabinet members go on self-isolation

The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Dogo Shammah, says all members of the state executive will go on self-isolation, from Friday, to avoid Coronavirus infection.

Shammah told Journalists on Friday, that the directive was from the state Governor, Abdullahi Sule on the advice from the state Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, who is also the Chairman of the state COVID-19 task force.

This follows the positive testing of the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Abdulkareem Kana for the coronavirus who had attended a State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, chaired by Governor Abdullahi Sule on July 3, 2020.

The commissioner said the self-isolation was to begin immediately until when results of tests of samples taken from the commissioners are returned, to know their status.

The commissioner called on residents of the state, not to panic but continue to adhere to all COVID-19 protocols such as wearing of face masks, social distancing among others.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Abdulkareem Kana who had confirmed his status to Journalists on Thursday said that he fell sick, last weekend, with fatigue, catarrh and sore throat.

“Towards the end of very stressful days last week, I became slightly sick, with fatigue, catarrh and sore throat.

“Since I was not sure of what it was, doctors prescribed the standard malaria drugs – coartem and vitamin c tablets – which I took,’’ the attorney general told Journalists.

“As at Friday, July 3, I started feeling better but in order to be more careful, conscious of my type of work involving meeting with hundreds of people every day, I decided to invite the state COVID-19 test team that took my samples on July 4.

“As at Monday, July 6, I was already feeling a lot better, but the result of the test I took, days earlier, returned positive for COVID-19.’’ he added

He said that he was currently on self-isolation and responding to treatment.

Nasarawa state currently has over 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19.