The mystery source and sure spread of Sokoto’s COVID-19 cases

Sokoto State did not register an index case of COVID-19 until April 20. The index case had no travel history and evidence suggests that the virus was very much present in the state before it was detected. With rising cases, the state is scrambling a response, as our correspondent reports. Rising COVID-19 cases in Sokoto […]

Sokoto State did not register an index case of COVID-19 until April 20. The index case had no travel history and evidence suggests that the virus was very much present in the state before it was detected. With rising cases, the state is scrambling a response, as our correspondent reports.

Rising COVID-19 cases in Sokoto has become a source of worry for many in Nigeria’s North-western state.

Sokoto’s index case was confirmed on April 20, 2020, almost two months after the first coronavirus case in Nigeria was recorded on February 27.

In less than two weeks, the number of confirmed cases in the state has risen to 67, with eight deaths.

• We have more community-based cases now — FG

• Sokoto porous borders threaten battle against COVID-19

Those tested positive in the state have included health practitioners and journalists.

However, the greatest fear now is that the state may have slipped into the community transmission stage much earlier than realised.

The index case, Chairman of Medical Association of Nigeria Sokoto branch, Dr Sani Muhammad, who has no relevant travel history, still is not sure how he contracted the disease.

The unknown source of infection, many say, suggests an unrecognised spread of the virus before the confirmed case in a state that had shut its land borders three weeks earlier.

By March 27, the state had banned interstate travels, except for essential services, as a way of preventing the virus spread.

“But even with the border closure, there was widespread movement of returnees to the state from other states through the entry points and illegal routes,” a resident, Hajiya Hadiza Lawal said.

“Also, Sokoto, which borders Niger Republic, had people still coming into the state from a country that had confirmed COVID-19 cases. The implication is that some cases may have slipped through.”

Following confirmation of cases in the state, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal announced additional measures to the subsisting border closure.

On Friday, April 24, the state government announced a ban on all international border markets across Sokoto, which had seen travellers from Niger Republic coming into Sokoto markets even with the border closure.

The state government also signed a law prohibiting preaching and public gatherings during Ramadan.

This was in line with the the position of the Sultan of Sokoto-led National Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), both of which suspended the traditional Ramadan programmes.

However, some residents said the ban on congregational prayers should have been extended to Juma’at and the five daily prayers, while others suggested imposing a total lockdown on the state.

The governor, however, insists that lockdown would not augur well with the masses who need to go out to get what they could put on their tables.

For Dr Sani Muhammad, the need to screen as many people as possible to curtail the spread of the virus is now paramount.

The medical doctor, who spoke to Daily Trust on the phone, said the fact that his source of infection was unknown was an indication that the virus has been in Sokoto long before now.

Five days after the doctor tested positive, the NCDC activated the molecular diagnostic laboratory at the Institute of Advanced Medical Research and Training Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

It is now expected that more people in the state would be tested.

By the time the index case was detected, only a section of the main isolation centre had been completed.

However, Chairman of the state Taskforce Committee on Covid-19, Dr Muhammad Ali Inname disclosed that the state government has  50-bed capacity at the isolation centre in Amanawa, and  32-bed capacity facility at Murtala Muhammad Hospital donated by Medicins Sans Frontiers and a 6- bed unit at UDUTH, Sokoto.

A 40 -bed hall (20 for male and 20 for females) has been also activated at the centre for occupational therapy.

The health commissioner added that the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto provided a 20-bed unit at their Gidan Dare Clinic Isolation Centre and 30- bed hotel accommodation at Aliyu Jodi Road in the state capital.

Going by the Presidential Taskforce’s recommendation that states have at least 300 beds available for treating coronavirus patients, Sokoto seems to have some ways to go.

The Chairman said the committee is looking into the possibility of using Giginya Hotel and Shukura Hotel as isolation, contact tracing premises.

This is in addition to the 279 personnel, including doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, and other health workers, the state has trained to tackle the pandemic.

Governor Tambuwal also recently directed the state ministry of health to recall and reinstate all retired indigenous medical doctors and health practitioners on the scale on which they left the state employ to enhance healthcare delivery and boost the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

“We have sent forms for volunteers in case we need more people, and we have got over 3,000 people who have filled the forms as volunteers to participate in the fight,” The Taskforce chairman said.

The volunteers are to assist in contact tracing and sensitisation.

“We have three teams–contact, search and tracing teams, three in each local government area, so that we will be able to trace the returnees,” Inname said.

“We have given directives to all local governments through the Directors of Health, Sole Administrators and traditional institutions to compile a list of all returnees in their local government areas so that we assess them and those with symptoms, we will carry out tests on them,” he said.

But that is not enough apparently as there are fears that there are many people in the state who may have been exposed to the virus but are in hiding.

“There is a need for more serious sensitisation particularly those who have contact with affected COVID-19 cases in the state,” the Executive Director, Community Centre for Development, Ibrahim Adamu Tudundoki said.

“Such people need to be sincere with themselves and their families and members of their communities as hiding infected people will worsen our situation.”

Even with rising cases of coronavirus in Sokoto, some people in the state do not believe coronavirus is real. Many are seen not practising preventive measures against COVID-19 such as physical distancing and use of masks.

“COVID-19 is real,” Mrs Maryam Ali of Arkila area in Sokoto said.

“There is need to ensure that all cultivate the use of face masks, regular hand washing and use of sanitizer, physical distancing and other measures to minimise the risk of transmission of the deadly virus.”

 

This piece is supported by WSCIJ COVID-19 Reality Check Project