Most of the “unexplained deaths” in Kano in April were caused by Coronavirus, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Control reaffirmed on Monday.
According to the report of the Ministerial Task Team that investigated the deaths, 60 per cent of the 979 deaths in April was linked to COVID-19.
The report further showed that 979 deaths were spread across eight municipal Local Government Areas, at a rate of 43 deaths per day. Fifty-six percent of deaths occurred at home, while 38 per cent deaths were recorded in hospitals. Also, most deaths occurred among individuals aged 65 years and above.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who opened the lid on the report at the daily PTF briefing, said: “With regard to unexplained deaths in Kano which occurred in April, the team confirmed from graveyard records, that a total of 979 deaths were recorded in eight municipal LGA in the state at a rate of 43 deaths per day, with a peak in the second week of April.
“By the beginning of May, the death rate had reduced to 11 deaths per day it used to be. The verbal autopsy revealed that about 56 per cent of deaths had occurred at home while 38 per cent were in a hospital.
“With circumstantial evidence as all to go by, investigation suggests that between 50-60 per cent of the deaths may have been triggered by or due to COVID-19, in the face of pre-existing ailments. Most fatalities were over 65 years of age.”
He added: “While over 150 health workers had been infected at the time of their arrival, there was no report of an infection among health workers who had received training on infection prevention and control, thus restoring confidence. The intervention of the ministerial task force has been a game changer for Kano and some northern States.