As the novel coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in Nigeria with 782 confirmed cases, a new twist on unusual deaths in Kano State has heighten the tension in the country, especially that Kano’s Covid-19 cases has risen to 73, according to the NCDC’s April 21 reports.
There was serious fear and panic in the state as over 150 persons have reportedly died of unknown causes.
According to the report, over 150 people died in Kano between Friday and Saturday last week, as their cause of death remains unknown.
There are fears that the deceased must have died as a result of a strange ailment, amid the recent coronavirus outbreak.
The report noted that figure of the dead buried in the three cemeteries excludes other people buried in dozens of burial grounds in the eight local government areas that constitute Kano metropolis, though those working in such cemeteries said they did not notice anything unusual.
Also, authorities in Kano, community leaders, families of the deceased and medical officials have given different opinion on the matter with the state ministry of health saying it was investigating the matter.
Attendants and undertakers across the three cemeteries that witnessed unusual burials described the current regularity of burials in the city as unprecedented, urging the government to as a matter of urgency investigate to ascertain the real cause.
Areas where deaths have been reported include; Zage, Kano Municipal, Tarauni, Gwale, Kurna, Dala, Chiromawa, Zango, Kofar Mata, Fagge, Kumbotso, and some local government areas outside the metropolitan like Bichi, Kunchi, Wudil, Gwarzo, and Shanono.
Adamu Umar, a cemetery guard at farm centre, said he buried over 17 people, adding that the situation is scary, as it is unusual since he began working there in the last four years.
Yesterday, about 10 people were also said to have been buried at Dandolo Community.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government says it has begun investigation into claims that there was a surge in deaths in Kano metropolis.
Dr Tijjani Hussaini, Executive Secretary, Kano State Primary Healthcare Board, told newsmen, yesterday in Kano that medics were yet to ascertain the medical cause of the said deaths, but acknowledged that the situation had “sent residents panicking”.
“The investigation is prompted by reports that more deaths have been recorded in the past seven days,” Hussaini, who did not state the number of deaths so far recorded,.
Hussaini said that the investigation was focusing on the symptoms exhibited by the victims before giving up.
“We want to know the number of persons already dead. We also want to investigate how they died.
“It is when we have a good idea; it is when we get the outcome of the findings that we can properly draw conclusions and brief the public,” he said.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Tsanyawa, who also spoke on the issue, said that the ministry had embarked on clinical investigation to unravel the cause of the said deaths in Kano metropolis.
Tsanyawa advised residents of the metropolis not to panic, urging them to observe preventive measures and personal hygiene while complying with the stay-at-home order.
“The ministry is aware of social media reports insinuating mass deaths in the metropolis. We will soon address the issue,” he said.
Commenting on the situation, Prof. Isa Abubakar, Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases (CID), Bayero University Kano (BUK), said that the rising number of deaths recorded during the lockdown may not necessarily be linked to COVID-19 pandemic.
Abubakar, who is also an expert in Public Health and Community Medicine, added that the increasing rate of deaths could be attributed to other reasons.
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