The Kano Government has said the many deaths in the state in recent days were unrelated to the deadly Coronavirus disease.
It however noted that investigation into the cause of the deaths was ongoing.
The Commissioner of Information in the state, Muhammad Garba, made this known in a statement on Sunday.
He said reports from preliminary investigation point to “complications arising from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria” as the cause of the deaths.
The statement read in part: “The state government acknowledges recent deaths in Kano, but it is on top of the situation. We have begun investigation to unravel the remote causes of the deaths.
“The investigation into the cause of the deaths is still ongoing, but preliminary report of the state’s Ministry of Health indicates that the deaths are not connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Reports from the ministry have shown that most of the deaths were caused by complications arising from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria.
“Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is anxiously waiting for the final report so as to take necessary action.
“The state government is concerned over what is happening. The ministry of health is already handling the situation. When they are through with the medical investigation, further actions will be taken.
“The mystery, or whatever it is, will soon be unraveled.”
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Garba added that Ganduje has demonstrated the zeal and political will to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state by taking proactive measures which have been commended within and outside the state.
He added: “This explains why Kano, in spite of being the most populace state, did not record a case of the pandemic until lately.
“Though we agree that the situation at hand is very serious, we are not resting on our oars in taking appropriate measures to ensure that people of Kano State protect themselves from the novel COVID-19 pandemic.”
The commissioner further stated that the government has established three Isolation Centres where those that had tested positive to COVID-19 are being cared for, while plans are underway to set up two more.
He said that the state government has also rented a hotel where suspected cases were being accommodated.
Furthermore, he said the government was collaborating with Bayero University, Kano, to establish a testing centre within the institution, stating that the facility would be ready in two weeks time.
“When it is put to use, our determination to ensure that every suspected case is quickly tested will be enhanced,” he said.
Garba said that Gov. Ganduje had appealed to the Federal Government to urgently fix the NCDC testing centre at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital shut down some days ago.
“We have enough medical manpower that can take care of the patients. What we are asking for is financial assistance from the Federal Government and other donors to help sustain the infrastructure and also continue the provision of palliatives,” he said.
