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General News of Tuesday, 19 May 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

NCDC announced false COVID-19 figures for Zamfara - health commissioner

Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu | Photo by: Andrew Esiebo Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu | Photo by: Andrew Esiebo

Zamfara State health commissioner, Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma, has on Tuesday said that the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) announced a false COVID-19 figure of the state on Monday.

Debunking the 10 new COVID-19 cases announced yesterday by the NCDC, Kanoma said that the state only recorded two new cases.

Speaking to NAN in Gusau, he said that the state government had alerted the NCDC of the error and demanded that it be rectified.

“We were shocked and bewildered by this latest figure from the NCDC which said 10 new cases were confirmed when we know it was only two.

“Our records have shown that when results from the centre returned, we had a total of 76 cases made up of 45 discharged persons, 26 in isolation and five dead, so we didn’t know where NCDC got the additional eight.

“We approached the centre which could not give a convincing explanation, and so we demanded a written apology which they promised to send as well as withdraw the media publicity that we had 10 new cases,” the commissioner said.

He said the state government had recently procured all the necessary tools and equipment to set up a COVID – 19 sample testing centre and was waiting for facility visit by officials of the NCDC so that the centre can take off.

“This will save us from unnecessary delays, the risks of travelling to Sokoto daily as well as provide such services to our neighbouring states that require such services,” Kanoma said. (NAN)