Kaduna sets up emergency centre over coronavirus

The Kaduna state government has set up an emergency operation centre (EOC) in response to a case of coronavirus recorded in the country on Friday.

The case is that of an Italian citizen who came into the country from Milan, Italy, on February 25.

In a statement on Saturday, the Kaduna government said Amina Mohammed Baloni, commissioner of health, would be in charge of the state’s EOC.

The statement said the centre was set up to respond to any case of the disease in Kaduna, advising residents to adhere to the preventive measures listed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“People should regularly and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water or alcohol based hand sanitisers, maintain at least three to five feet distance between individuals and anyone who is coughing or sneezing,” it read.

“In addition, the general public is also advised to follow good respiratory hygiene by covering the mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue paper, or cough and sneeze into the sleeve at the bent elbow.”

The Kaduna government also advised residents who have visited China, epicentre of the virus, and other countries that have the disease to isolate themselves for two weeks and report themselves if they get sick.

“Above all, residents of Kaduna state are encouraged to remain calm while people with such symptoms are to seek medical attention as the state government is pooling all resources together to ensure readiness to contain the disease in the event of an outbreak,” the statement read.