Inundated with reported mass deaths in Kano, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed investigation to ascertain the cause of the strange incident.
No fewer than 40 people were reportedly buried since the declaration of the lockdown at Dandolo cemetery in Dala Local Government, against the unusual three and at most five bodies daily.
At Kofar Mozuga Cemetery also in the metropolis, the number of bodies brought for burial on a daily basis hit 10, a development begging for concern, Aminu Abubakar said.
Also, at Kara cemetery, near the abattoir, Aminu Koki told this reporter that between Monday and Tuesday, 42 bodies were buried at the cemetery, but said: “I can’t tell you the cause of deaths. The situation is pathetic, which needs urgent attention of the government.
The Chairman, Fagge Cemetery Committee, Sheriff Hadi Kabir, called for urgent government intervention to unravel the incident of the unexplained deaths in the state.
Kabir, who lost his father three days ago, described the situation as terrifying.
He said at Zangon Barebari in Kano Municipal, over 13 people died between Sunday and Monday from severe fever, suspected to be acute malaria, typhoid and other ailments.
He attributed the resurgence of malaria to mosquito bites, associated with the coming of rainy season.
According to him, “this is not Coronavirus as being speculated, it is severe malaria, due to the exposure to mosquito bites.”
Reacting to the development, Commissioner for Information Muhammad Garba, who acknowledged the reported strange death, told reporters that government has swung into action to investigate the matter.
Although, Garba disagreed that the sudden rise in death in Kano is related to COVID-19 pandemic, he noted that Governor Ganduje has directed the Ministry of Health to investigate the incident.
Also reacting to the development, the Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Isa Abubakar Sadiq, said research has not confirmed the development has anything to do with COVID-19 pandemic.
The public health consultant said information so far obtained on the development indicated death of aged persons, who might have suffered from severe age-induced illness.
“What we have seen so far is more or less false and rumour because there is no scientific research to prove that the purported mass death was due to COVID-19 pandemic.
“While investigation as directed by the government is still on, we stand to say the reports are false, they are meant to cause panic in the city. I did not subscribe to the fact that there is unusual record of death. There are so many interests around and people are ready to generate unfounded stories,” Prof. Sadiq said.
