The Bayelsa state Taskforce on the novel  Covid-19 pandemic says it has recorded Nine new confirmed cases in the state.

A press release reaching The Tide on Monday in Yenagoa from the state Covid-19 Taskforce has it that the new cases confirmed during the week in the state were part of the 307 new confirmed cases announced by the NCDC.

Deputy chairman of the state Covid-19 Taskforce and permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr  Inodu Apoku in the release summarized the status of the state’s fight against the novel virus as follows.

” In its usual manner the NCDC announced 307 new confirmed COVID -19 cases. Nine of these cases were samples from Bayelsa. These results are coming from a backlog of 62 samples sent to the UPTH COVID -19 laboratory last week in Port Harcourt”, he said.

” These nine newly confirmed cases bring the total number of confirmed cases in the State to 21. Six of out of these nine cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases while three are not epidemiologically linked to any of the previous confirmed cases.Two of these fresh unlinked cases are critically ill and were on admission in our public Hospitals for other underlying illnesses.One had undergone sessions of dialysis even before samples were collected for COVID -19 testing at the instances of the consulting teams in collaboration with the State COVID -19 Rapid Response Team. The third unlinked case is a Health Care Professional”, he added.

According to the Taskforce, all nine new cases have since been evacuated for further treatment at the state’s Isolation facilities.saying all their contacts are being line listed and adequately followed up including necessary environmental decontamination.

Apoku hinted that Samples have  been collected from their high -risk contacts while they have all been counselled on self-quarantine,just as risk communication and community engagement are ongoing.

He stated that three cases were discharged during the past week,while One case was discharged on Saturday,harping that the two other cases including the doctor were discharged Sunday after all their repeat tests returned negative and patients’ clinical statuses had met other criteria for discharge.

Apoku noted that with the latest number of  discharges carried out by the Taskforce in the state Isolation facilities,total number of Covid-19 cases so far discharged by the state now totals nine while
the state still has eleven active cases,reiterating that all cases except the two cases who were previously on admission for other underlying illness are in stable clinical conditions.

The Taskforce while reiterating its commitment towards maintaining tempo in the War against the spread of the virus however regretted that they recorded their first death,noting that prior to the unfortunate demise of the Covid-19 patient he was responding to treatment.

“We recorded a death last week. The patient who was initially responding to treatment suddenly developed severe shortness of breath. All attempts to salvage him proved abortive even with the intensive and delicate procedures that were administered by the attending medical personnel. He has since been buried by the Bayelsa State COVID -19 Safe Burial team and witnessed by relatives, friends, and colleagues”,the taskforce noted.

The Deputy chairman restated the resolve of State Public Emergency Operations Centre,the COVID -19 Situation and War rooms of the State response as well as the State COVID -19 Task Force to remain on response mode, saying they will be doing their best to contain and mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

“We now use the UPTH Port Harcourt Reference COVID -19 Laboratory. In the past weeks, we have been sending an average of 25 samples daily to this facility. Most of these samples are contacts of confirmed cases. Little wonder our positive figures seem to be on the increase. This is because of our robust survelliance activities and improved testing rates”, Apoku added.

The taskforce expressed its appreciation to all health care workers,especially the frontliners whom they said have been tireless in their resolve and commitment to the COVID -19 response in the State.

” patients should confide in their physicians the true case history of their ill health. We have also commenced active health facility case search for any case of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection,SARI in our hospitals to have a sentinel insight into the importation and possible community transmission of COVID -19″, the taskforce noted.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.