The Federal Government says a 14-man team comprising of health experts with different areas of specialisation will leave for Kano State on Saturday morning.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated this on Friday evening during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja monitored by The PUNCH via Channels TV.

The minister said the team of experts would complement the ongoing efforts by the federal and state governments towards curbing the spread of the coronavirus disease in the state.

He explained that frontline health workers in the response to coronavirus management in Kano would be trained and retrained to effectively manage the pandemic.

He saluted health workers nationwide on the occasion of the Workers’ Day and urged them to continue to follow laid-down rules regarding case management and response amid the pandemic.

He said, “I call on health workers and frontline personnel to continue to follow laid down infection and control measures to protect themselves and to treat every patient with care and with attention. But please do not refuse anyone’s care.

“With regards to Kano, a multi-sectorial team of 14 specialists comprising of persons from NCDC, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, the Department of Hospital Services, the Department of Family Health, Infectious Disease Specialists will leave for Kano in the early morning to support that state in all area of response.

“The main focus of the intervention is on training and capacity building of state health care workforce along with their various specialties on a very massive scale.

“On case management, medical, nursing, and clinic staff shall be trained or retrained.

“The  National Primary Health Care Development Agency will engage its extensive Kano State network to drive testing demand by grassroots through community mobilisation so that NCDC strategy can be realised.”

The PUNCH reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as of Thursday night said Kano recorded 80 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total infections confirmed in the state to 219 with zero recoveries but five fatalities.