The Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Baloni, on Saturday, confirmed one new case of coronavirus in the state

Baloni, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Kaduna, said the new case is a close contact of one of the three active cases announced earlier in the week.

According to her, contact tracing is ongoing to identify persons the new case has interacted with so that they can be monitored and tested if they meet the case definition.

She said:

“Our medical professionals are attending to the four active cases in the state.

“They are receiving treatment at the Infectious Diseases Centre, the state’s premier isolation centre, and we wish them a speedy recovery.

“Medical professionals in the Ministry of Health have already successfully managed the first six COVID-19 cases in the state to full recovery and discharge.

“The index case, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, was discharged on April 22, after two consecutive negative test results. “Five cases were earlier discharged in the one week, starting from April 14, 2020,’’ she said.

The commissioner, who noted the efforts of medical professionals in the state in containing the further spread of the virus, appealed to them and other stakeholders involved in the efforts of the Ministry of Health to manage and contain COVID-19 in Kaduna State, to remain dedicated.

She said the testing capacity of the state is improving.

Baloni added that the state had one laboratory that had been accredited by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to conduct COVID-19 tests.

“Two other laboratories, one in Kaduna and the other in Zaria, are undergoing NCDC verification and are expected to secure test accreditation shortly.

“As of Friday, April 24, Kaduna State had 133 persons tested, out which 10 have tested positive,’’ Baloni added.

The commissioner, however, underscored the importance of hand-washing, personal hygiene, social distancing, and the avoidance of large gatherings in containing the spread of COVID-19.

With the new case, the number of active cases in the state has increased from three to four.

NAN