No fewer than 12 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sokoto.
The Commissioner for Health and Chairman of COVID-19 Taskforce Team in the state, Dr. Muhammad Ali Inname, disclosed this after the technical committee had briefed the state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.
Iname said out of the 19 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Sokoto, 12 are health workers.
“I know you are aware that we have 19 confirmed cases and out of this number majority are health workers that have been affected about 12 of them,” he said.
He said 54 tests have been carried out even as the task force is tracing about 107 contacts of the identified victims.
Inname said the governor had approved the procurement of 250 hand washing machines to be distributed to public places, including mosques, hospitals and markets.
He explained that each of the the 23 local government areas in the state will get 20 of the hand washing machines.
Inname said the governor had approved the mobilisation of more medical personnel to assist the committee in the fight against COVID-19.
He added that presently over 3,000 volunteers had shown interest in participating in the exercise.
“The state government now have 50-bed capacity at the isolation centre in Amanawa in addition to 30-bed capacity at Murtala Muhammad Hospital donated by the Medicins Sans Frontieres and six-bed capacity at UDUTH, Sokoto,” he said.
He said the committee is looking into the possibility of using Giginya Hotel and Shukura Hotel as isolation contact tracing premises.