The Borno State government has confirmed that the 17 suspected cases of coronavirus in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area of the state have tested negative.
This was disclosed by the state’s Health Commissioner Salisu Kwayabura.
Briefing reporters in MaidugurÃi on Saturday on the activities of the state task force on COVID-19, Kwayabura said that the surveillance and investigation team initially identified 35 individuals with contacts to the index case, but from further analysis, only 17 persons met the medical criteria for tests to be carried out on them.
The commissioner said the state recorded one more death from the 15 positive cases recorded as at Thursday.
On the discrepancy between the figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the state on infections, the commissioner said the NCDC actually relies on states for updates, and not the other way round.
He said the NCDC update was caused by a communication gap.
The commissioner said there was no question about the fact that there are 15 cases in Borno and of them, seven patients are receiving medical attention at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and five patients are at Brigadier General Abba Kyari Isolation centre, managed by the state government, also in Maiduguri. Remaining three cases are the deaths recorded.