4th June, 2020
A male COVID-19 patient has absconded from an isolation centre in Jos, Plateau state.
Mr Williams Bassi, the Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), disclosed during a courtesy visit to the palace of the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba, on Thursday.
Officials of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), WHO and the state Ministry of Information, had paid a courtesy visit to the royal father to begin the COVID-19 campaign in Jos North.
The WHO coordinator, however, stated that efforts were on to trace the fleeing patient and return him to the centre to complete his treatment.
He said that the challenge in Jos, was that people who had tested positive refused to leave their homes to receive treatment at the isolation centres.
“We have one COVID-19 patient that has absconded from the centre, but I assure you we are on his trail and we will trace him and bring him back to continue with treatment.
“The major problem we have is that so many people have tested positive but have refused to go to the isolation centre, an example is the Duala Area in Jos North.
“They keep refusing to go to the isolation centres until some demands are met, and this is not good for us all.
Bassi noted that early identification, isolation and treatment were the best way to stop the spread of the disease.
The Director of NOA, Mr Bulus Dabit, noted that Jos North was the epicentre of the disease in Plateau state accounting for 76 out of 109 positive cases in the state as of June 3.