COVID-19: I was not isolated at State International Hotel ― Speaker

The Speaker further denied the insinuations making rounds that he and the five other legislators who were recently confirmed positive of COVID-19 infection were isolated at the State’s Five Star Hotel, Gombe International Hotel saying there was no iota of truth in the rumours.

While Addressing Journalists at the Government House, Gombe on Friday shortly after their 14 days isolation, the Speaker, along with the five others said, that, “You got the information wrong that we were isolated in the International Hotels or any other hotel in Gombe. We all decided to have self/home isolation. We were not taken to the international hotel because it is a business premise,” he debunked the allegations.”

Responding to the reason they were not isolated at the isolation centres established by the State Government in response to the outbreak, the Speaker said, “It all depends on the magnitude of the infection. When you have a severe infection and you are not asymptomatic, then you will be taken to the hospital. Those taken to the isolation centres are those that showed symptoms and signs, that is, severe cases of covid-19.”

He further explained that after their tests confirmed their positive status, “we were advised to go on isolation. Our immediate family and people we had contacts with were traced and tested too, and fortunately, when their results came out, they were all negative.”

Abubakar Sadiq also said that Chloroquine and a lot of other tablets were administered on them adding, “We were also asked if we had any underlining (terminal illness) challenges and fortunately again, none of us had it. We were monitored by Doctors and other members of the medical team 24/7 up till today that we are out of isolation”.

He then thanked the State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, for providing all the necessary support to the State Taskforce on covid-19 under the chairmanship of Professor Idris Mohammed, adding, “We thank God because we are all looking very well and healthy, we have all been issued our certificate of discharge.”

The Speaker also called against the stigmatization of people who have been certified free from covid-19, stressing that the virus is real and that people must take all precautionary measures enshrined by the NCDC.