Borno finds COVID-19 patient who fled isolation centre

Borno state government says it has found Abbas Kaka Hassan, a 24-year-old male, who fled after testing positive for COVID-19.

Hassan and Hauwa Mohammed, a 42-year-old female, were the two who fled the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital after their results came positive on Sunday.

But on Monday, Salisu Kwayabura, the state’s commissioner of health, said Hassan was traced in the early hours of the day and found around 2am.

The commissioner said a combined health surveillance and investigation team, backed by a police escort, traced the patient in a critical state at his family house in Gwange 11, and he was immediately moved on a stretcher and now on ventilator at an isolation centre.

He said health workers are doing everything possible to revive the patient while a contact tracing and surveillance team has been deployed to identify persons who may have had direct and indirect contact with him.

The female patient, however, the commissioner said is still at large.

The woman was said to be living in Shuwari ward, Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

He said efforts are in progress to trace the patient.

“When samples of patients with contacts to index cases are collected, they are normally advised to go on self-isolation. They give their contacts so they can be reached when results are out. This is the standard medical procedure,” the commissioner said.

“You can’t detain someone with suspected contact. We do not have the lawful powers to do that. Other patients were also allowed to leave but they came into isolation centres and we have 19 of them in two isolation centres and they are doing well. This is the standard practice.”

As of April 26, Borno has recorded 30 cases of COVID-19.