Kano panel attributes 15.9 % mysterious deaths to COVID-19

The Kano state investigative panel set up to probe the cause (s) of the mysterious deaths in the state has disclosed that only 15.9 per cent of the recorded mysterious deaths in the state were COVID-19-related.

Lead researcher, Dr. Mukhtar Gandanya, who submitted a verbal autopsy report to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje on Tuesday in Kano, said that only 255 people died from novel coronavirus-related cases.

According to Gandanya, findings show that 70 per cent of the deaths were due to hypertension, diabetes and other illnesses.

He said that 60 per cent of those who died were males while 40 per cent were females and 76 per cent above 50 years.

According to the researcher, who is also the head of department of community medicine at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, 1, 774 people died between April 1 and May 2 in the eight metropolitan local government areas of the state.

“Kano Municipal has the highest number of the mysterious deaths while Tarauni Local Government recorded the highest number of COVID-19 related cases.

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He commended the state government for its efforts in containing COVID-19 and training healthcare workers, while urging the state government to strengthen death registration at the community level.

Receiving the report, Gov. Ganduje said that it had put to rest hypothesis on the mysterious deaths.

The governor said that the report of the federal government attributing about half of the deaths to COVID-19 lacked variables and correlations.

“I am going to personally take the Kano verbal autopsy report to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehinare,” he said.