The governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Bala Mohammed and the chief of staff to the president, Mr. Abba Kyari were on Tuesday confirmed COVID-19 positive.
With the latest development, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said “As at 06:25 pm on 24th March, there are 44 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. 2 have been discharged with 1 death.”
The governor had been in self-isolation since yesterday (Monday) when he confirmed that he boarded the same flight and shook hands with Muhammed Atiku Abubakar who tested positive for disease.
Muhammed is the son of Nigeria’s former vice president, Mr. Atiku Abubakar.
Spokesman for the governor, Mr. Mukhtar Gidado said in a statement on Tuesday that only the governor tested positive out of the six samples collected by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“This is to inform the general public that the results of the six initial tests carried out by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on his Excellency, Sen. Bala Mohammed, his family and aides that accompanied him to Lagos is out (sic).
“Of the six initial tests carried out, one sample was confirmed positive of COVID-19. The positive result happens to be that of his Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State.
“At this point, it should be noted that the governor is on self isolation as his doctors and officials from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) have taken full charge of his quarantine.
“His Excellency solicits for prayers from all and requests that all those who had contact with him or anyone known to have the same medical condition to go for test immediately in order to avert further spread of COVID-19 epidemic,” said Gidado.
Similarly, Kyari, tested positive for the coronavirus.
He was confirmed positive some days after returning from an official trip to Germany.
According to TheCable, Kyari ran the test on Saturday based on medical advice, although he was not exhibiting any symptoms.
The result came out on Monday positive and he went into isolation even though the symptoms were yet to manifest.
Following his result, President Muhammadu Buhari was also advised to run a test but he was negative.
Alongside the minister of power, Mr. Sale Mamman, the chief of staff had attended a meeting in Germany with officials of Siemens to discuss issues relating to the Nigerian power sector.
Elsewhere in Niger State, the commissioner of health, Dr. Ibrahim Sidi announced Tuesday evening that the state had recorded seven suspected cases of the coronavirus.
Addressing newsmen in Minna, Sidi said the seven suspected cases were in self isolation.
He said one of the cases came from the United States and had contact with some people.
He also said one of cases was in Suleja town, while another was traced to Gwada adding that the government was monitoring the condition of all the cases and will make information public as things unfold.
The commissioner also said the government was investigating the case of a student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, who claimed he tested positive for COVID-19.
He said the information given had taken officials to Gwada where the student is believed to be staying.
The commissioner appealed to the public not to stigmatise the cases already discovered, saying it would discourage people from personally owning up and therefore lead to the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, he said a committee headed by the secretary to the state government, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, had been set up and a take-off budget of N100 million approved for it.
