Abia COVID-19: Samples of Suspected Cases Return Negative

Sample of suspected cases of covid-19 sent to Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has returned negative. The Abia State Government stated that the results which was made available today by 10:28am on 24th Friday, April, 2020 to the state through NCDC came out negative.

Below is the release made available by Abia State Commissioner for Information:

1. Our index cases, both of whom are above 70 years in age and with underlying medical conditions remain stable and responding to medical management procedures at Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.
2. Sample of the suspected case who lives off Ikot Ekpene Road, Aba, returned a negative result from NCDC testing center.
3. Two other samples sent to NCDC from Abia State also returned negative.
4. We are expecting test results for 23 samples related to contact tracing for the index cases and will inform appropriately when available.
5. We have noted with dismay that many citizens still leave their homes without wearing face masks, thereby exposing themselves to possible infection within this period of ongoing contact tracing. While we continue to strongly advise against that, mobile courts have been deployed to try such persons in accordance with the existing COVID-19 Prevention and Control Regulations of Infectious Diseases in Abia state.
6. We have also observed the orchestrated attempts by unconscionable political actors from our state aimed at distracting the government from focusing on ensuring that we protect and save the lives of Abians and control spread of the coronavirus within our dear state at a time of such global health emergency as this and wish to assure the people that we will remain focused on the task of protecting and saving lives of Abians in this era of the pandemic, as always.

Thank you.

Chief John Okiyi Kalu
Honorable Commissioner for Information, Abia State
24/04/2020