Kaduna state has recorded 18 new cases of Covid-19 with 10 members of a family in Kaduna North LGA infected by a family member who had already tested positive to the disease, Governor Nasir el-Rufai has said.
Speaking in his daily Covid-19 update on tweeter Thursday night, el-Rufai said 14 of the new cases are from Kaduna North LGA, two from Zaria LGA, while one each are from Chikun and Sabon Gari LGAs.
He said, “Covid-19 update: 18 new cases were recorded today, 10 of whom are family members of one case. 14 of the new cases are from Kaduna North, two from Zaria and one each from Chikun and Sabon-Gari LGAs.”
Meanwhile, Kaduna state government has vowed to keep its health facilities running and to protect staff that are willing to provide services to the public, while urging health workers not to abandon their place of assignment, in the name of strike, except they are tired of their employment.
A statement issued by the special adviser on media and communication to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, in reaction to the notice of strike issued by health workers in the state, warned that government “will not bend to blackmail.”
The statement read in part: “Government rejects the strike threat and will regard persons who fail to show up at their assigned places of work as having forfeited their employment.
“Every health worker that is willing to work is required to sign the register at the Ministry of Health and the health institutions to which they are deployed. Those who are not willing to work are strongly warned against criminal action such as attempts to impede access to workplaces, harass willing workers or to sabotage facilities and equipment.
“To declare strike action amidst the Covid-19 pandemic is naked blackmail, based on the mistaken assumption that the state government will reward irresponsible conduct by some health workers with surrender. Government will not be misled into granting health workers a special status amongst public servants.”
