Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has debunked an online media report that there have been massive deaths of 300 people in Azare, the headquarters of Katagum Local Government within the last seven days.
Briefing newsmen yesterday evening in the Banquet Hall of the government house in Bauchi, Bala said that, “We don’t have incident of ongoing mass deaths in Azare as reported in some sections of the media and the social media.
He further said that, “Based on our finding in the town, only 30 people have so far died in the last one week, and their deaths were not in any way related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Governor Bala who described the report as fake, baseless and misleading, said it was generated by mischief-makers.
He also disclosed that currently, Bauchi State’s response to COVID-19 was one of the best in the northern part of the country in the areas of effective surveillance, contact tracing, efficient and professional case management, good risk communication and community engagement as well as proper coordination at the emergency operation centre.
“Unfortunately, some mischief-makers from Abuja, who are not in touch with their people are trying to undermine the efforts of the state government and our hardworking frontline healthcare workers.
The governor also said that Bauchi State government would collaborate with the World Health Organization to scale up the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in the state.