CoronavirusNewsNigeriaJUST IN: Kano Considers Closing Mosques, Churches as Index Case Attended Juma’at Prayer

Strong indications have emerged that Kano State government is considering the possibility of closing mosques and churches as reports say that the state first recorded Coronavirus index attended the last Juma’at prayer.

The first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Kano State on Friday.

Sources say that the patient, former Ambassador have attended the Friday congregational prayers, and this development led the state government to consider closing places of worship.

The patient attended Friday prayers at the popular Da’awah Juma’at Mosque along Suleman Crescent in Nassarawa GRA on Friday, a situation that is causing grave concern to government officials.

A male patient was admitted to a private clinic along Lamido Crescent in Nassarawa GRA after he was discovered.

Sources at the clinic told Daily Trust that all the staff and patients had been evacuated to one of the isolation centers in the state.

The patient, a former ambassador, was said to have come to Kano from Lagos, probably where he contacted the disease.

Already, police officers were deployed at the clinic, and condoned-off the busy Lamido Crescent, thereby restricting movement.

It was learned that some neighbours of the clinic were evacuated from their homes for medical examination.

A resident told his sister, who was on an errand, was prevented from entering her family house.

At Giginyu quarters, Daily Trust gathered, the immediate family members of the patient and his domestic workers have also evacuated to an isolation center.

There was tension and confusion in the community following the discovery of the patient in the area, as residents could be seen discussing the matter at different places.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, who confirmed the case, said the state Task Force Committee on COVID-19 had directed the deployment of health personnel to the three identified areas where the patient went before the detection of the virus for fumigation.

After the discovery of the patient, the state Governor Abdullahi Ganduje summoned for an emergency meeting with members of the State Task Force Committee on COVID-19.

Similarly, after the emergency meeting, the state government had banned tricycle riders from carrying more than one passenger.

Meantime, the task force committee will also meet with Chief Imams of Juma’at mosques and Reverend Fathers on how to operate the places of worship that will curb the spread of the virus. It the meeting decide closure of mosques and churches in the state, “the government will do so for the interest of our people,” said a source close to the committee.