The Kogi State Government has alleged there were attempts to import COVID-19 or declare fictitious cases in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, stated this on Tuesday in a statement made available to our correspondent in Lokoja.
He said, “A distress call from an expatriate working with an international organisation in Kogi State who suspected that she had symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19 had generated widespread speculation and it is therefore pertinent that we set the records straight.”
He said the expatriate, an adult female, sent message to the Kogi State COVID-19 Squadron Committee, expressing fears that she was exhibiting symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.
He said, “Immediately the message was received, the Incident Manager, who is also the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna, led a team of medical experts to assess the situation with a bid to ascertaining if the alleged symptoms fit into the criteria set by the National Centre for Disease Control for COVID-19 testing.
“Upon arrival at the residence of the expatriate, she narrated to the team in an interview captured on video how the symptoms she earlier communicated in her phone call had disappeared.
“Incident Officer still went ahead to take her temperature using the recommended infrared thermometer and her temperature was at a healthy 36.8°C. The temperature readings fell totally within normal range and she did not exhibit any of the other symptoms to necessitate further tests for COVID-19. Curiously, the said individual still insisted her case be escalated to the NCDC for COVID-19 testing.”
He said the state government was “suspicious of the motive behind her insistence, especially as we strongly suspect there are attempts to import the disease or declare fictitious cases in Kogi State.
