Inspection of facilities at the Isolation center located at the General Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital (GARSH) Katsina. Our determination to contain the spread of the dreaded #COVID19 did not, in any way, slow down our resolve to provide standard Isolation facilities.

#COVID19 update.

On behalf of the Government and people of Katsina State, I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the family of late Malam Abba Kyari, HE @MBuhari, @ProfZulum, Government and people of Borno State on his passing-on. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Jannah.

Your capacity was never in doubt. Keep up the good work.

In line with our resolve to lockdown any local government area that records a #COVID19 positive case, we have directed for the lockdown of the entire Dutsinma LGA from 7am tomorrow, 17/04/2020. According to results from @NCDCgov, the area has recorded one case yesterday.

We have also suspended all activities at Cinemas, Events and TV viewing centers across the state. All security agencies have been directed to ensure strict compliance on the restriction of movements of persons coming in through all interstate borders.

We are taking these steps and measures in the best interest of our people, country and humanity in general. We call on our people to remain law abiding and comply with these directives to tame the spread of this dreaded pandemic. #COVID19 is real.

As at today, April 15, 2020.

On behalf of the Government and people of Katsina State, I wish to sincerely appreciate the @NLTFng for the timely upgrade of our ICU at the Daura General Hospital into a well equipped #isolation center for #COVID19 victims.

Our gratitude also goes to @SenatorAkume, Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental affairs for sparing time to personally commission the project.

Further to our earlier briefing on the Daura #COVID19 situation; out of the samples sent for testing, 23 results have been returned with 20 being negative while 3 are unfortunately positive. Incidentally the 3 are the deceased Doctor's wife and his 2 children.

However, 3 pharmacies and 3 grocery stores will be identified for people to patronise under strict supervision and when absolutely necessary. The state Government will also provide palliative support to the people of Daura within the period of the lockdown.

We will continue to monitor situations as they unfold and will not hesitate to lockdown any local government area that may record positive #COVID19 case. We won't falter in putting the whole state under total lockdown should the situation warrants.

We have received several pleas and complaints from both within and outside the state on the lifting of ban on Jumu'ah prayers, especially with the incidence recorded in Daura. Fears were raised on the possible spread of the dreaded #Coronavirus as a result of lifting the ban.

This decision, though difficult, we believe is by far better than allowing our people to dangerously move to other states for the prayer, with the possibility of either transporting or bringing the virus with attendant consequences. We urge our people to abide by the conditions.

We are a responsible government elected by our people, their safety and well-being are therefore utmost in our priorities. All actions and steps we take in the course of governance are, to the best of our conviction, in the real interest of our people.

Aftermath of the unfortunate incidence in Daura, we have so far identified and quarantined 35 people that had contact with the deceased. Their samples have been sent to @NCDCgov for #COVID19 test. Meanwhile, investigation is still on to trace ALL those that had contact with him.