BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
There seems to be controversy between the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) and Cross River state government on whether there is confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Cross River state.
Already there is an internal memo by University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) dated 3rd July, 2020 which alleged that there are five(5) proven cases of Covid-19 in Cross River State.
NCDC, had earlier in today’s update confirmed cases in the country, showing that Cross River State is still without any index case.
However, UCTH had, as at yesterday, informed that five(5) samples sent to NCDC accredited laboratory located at Alex Ekweme University Teaching Hospital, Abakiliki returned positive bringing the total number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the state to six(6).
Unfortunately, NCDC’s update of all Covid-19 cases confirmed yesterday, nationwide was four hundred and fifty four (454) and Cross River State was not listed among the host states.
Below is NCDC’s update of newly confirmed Covid-19 cases as at yesterday, July 3rd: shows, Lagos-87; Edo-63; FCT-60; Ondo-41; Benue-32; Abia-31; Ogun-29; Oyo-19; Kaduna-17; Delta-16; Enugu-15; Borno-14; Plateau-9; Nasarawa-8; Kano-5; Bauchi-4; Gombe-2; Katsina-1; Kogi-1; Total: 454.
The question is ” how long it would take for NCDC to validate UCTH’s alleged six(6) cases or whether at all, UCTH is misinforming Cross Riverians as well as millions of Nigerians”.
It would recalled that , the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu, was quoted as saying that “Cross River State may be recording its first index case of Covid-19 soonest, owing to the opening of inter-state travel”.
Betta said , “since the opening of inter-state travels, over hundreds of travellers have made their way into the state with majority of these travellers coming from places where the pandemic is striking amountfully.
Following her recent comment where she appealed to Cross Riverians to abide strictly by taking precautionary measures already put in place by the State Government and other health institutions shows that the virus has hit the state.
