19th March, 2020
The Borno Government has set up a 100–bed capacity isolation centre as part of measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in the state.
Dr Salihu Kwaya-Bura, the state’s Commissioner for Health, made this known on Thursday at a news briefing in Maiduguri.
Kwaya-Bura said the isolation centre located at Brigadier Abba Kyari Memorial Hospital in Maiduguri was used in fighting Ebola virus in the state.
“The isolation centre is a 100–bed capacity with the capacity to be increased to 120 should the need arise.
“Other facilities were also mapped out to be brought online should there be the need to escalate the response which we are not praying for,” he said.
Kwaya-Bura said that screening of passengers had commenced at the Maiduguri International Airport, while port health officials had increased surveillance at international borders in the state.
The commissioner said that apart from public enlightenment, there was special attention placed on public places with crowds, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.
He said that the ministry was working in synergy with organisations and Ministries of Education, Transport, Environment, Women Affairs as well as the State Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to prevent an outbreak of the disease in the state.
While noting that there was no single suspected case in the state, the commissioner urged residents not to panic but to adhere to simple preventive measures like avoiding crowded places, regular washing of hands and embracing best practices when coughing or sneezing.
“We also urge the public to please seek medical attention immediately they notice symptoms like cough, respiratory difficulties, consistent high fever,” Kwaya-Bura said.
He announced that one of the two people infected with Lassa fever in the state had died, while the other was treated and discharged to reunite with his family.