Breaking: No single coronavirus case in Plateau yet – Commissioner

Plateau state government has refuted trending news in the social media alleging that there was an index case of confirmed Coronavirus in Jos north local government area of Plateau state.

The Commissioner of Information and Communications, Hon. Dan Malang, said in a statement, Sunday night, that since the circulation of the fake news, there had been rising concern and anxiety within and outside the state.

He said: “According to the fake news, one Hassan Sale, an influential personality from Gangare area of Jos, in Jos North LGA, an ally of Senator Bala Muhammad Governor of Bauchi state has developed symptoms similar to those of Corona virus (COVID-19) haven come in contact  with the governor recently.

“Prior to this rumour however, the Ministry  of Health,  Plateau state swiftly acted by taking the specimen of Hassan Sale, and sent same for examination.

“We are happy to announce to Plateau people and indeed to the whole world that both the preliminary and the confirmatory results of the specimen standing in the name of  Hassan Sale are negative,” he said.

Hon. Manjang said the government wished to call on all and sundry to “discountenance such misinformation and also state categorically that as at this moment, there is no known case of Coronavirus found in Plateau state.”

He said Governor Simon Lalong, being the Chairman of the state COVID-19 Emergency Response Committee, “appeals to the people to continue to adhere to preventive measures by washing their hands regularly, staying at home and maintaining social distance.

“They should also be mindful of the kind of news they pick on the street or from the social media space,” adding that for the collective good of all, people should always endeavour to verify information from the appropriate quarters. 

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