Our Discovery of 250 new cases were due to massive testing- Gombe State Task Force
Gombe State, COVID-19 (C19) Taskforce Team has attributed the successful discovery of 250 new coronavirus cases to the massive test the state embarked on.
The Chairman of the Task Force, Prof. Idris Mohammed, disclosed this during a press conference on Monday in Gombe State.
The Professor said that the state had so far tested 3, 668 cases in two weeks, out of which 250 tested positive to the COVID-19 (C19) virus.
He also noted that the positive cases recorded in two weeks represented a 158 percent rise in the number of positive cases in the state.
Mohammed stated that before the two weeks’ review, Gombe State had total positive cases of 160 and recorded 12 deaths.
According to him, he said testing was key to determining the prevalence of infection in communities, adding that unless massive testing was carried out, it would be difficult to get data for the safe opening of the economy.
“If you don’t test, we are going to miss many people with positive cases who will continue to spread the infection within the community. This is why we are doing massive testing in the state.
“Apart from Lagos State, there is no state that is doing massive testing like Gombe and our responsibility is to minimize the harm that this pandemic causes; testing is keyed in that regard,” the chairman said.
He said the rise in the number of cases should not cause panic in the state, adding, “these tests reflect the positive way that Gombe State has responded to the fight against COVID-19.”
According to him, the 410 positive cases are in various isolation centers in the state, while efforts are being intensified to further sensitize communities in the state.
Mohammed called on residents of the state to continue to adhere to health protocols while cautioning them against any complacency which could expose them to the risk of transmission.
Ayooluwa Joshua