from AHMED OBAFEMI in Maiduguri, Nigeria
MAIDUGURI, (CAJ News) – THE terrorism by the Boko Haram is worsening the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in northeast Nigeria.
Government and humanitarian agencies have reported that the threat of the pandemic looms, particularly for its 1,8 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
The situation is worse for more than 431 000 IDPs living in over 50 highly congested camps, most of them in Maiduguri, the Borno capital, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram terrorism.
Officials said with over 7,5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region, the COVID-19 presented a more difficult challenge to an already complex humanitarian situation.
“The stealth of the virus in the extremely congested living conditions and interacting with a population characterized by high prevalence of comorbidities,” said a health spokesperson.
These included high incidences of chronic malnutrition and endemic malaria, coupled with the current measles and expected cholera outbreaks can result in serious implications.
As of this week, a total of 1 024 confirmed cases had been recorded, including 59 deaths in the northeast.
There were 90 active cases and 864 recoveries in the three states. Nigeria has recorded 52 548 cases and 1 004 deaths.
Adamawa, Borno and Yobo are worst affected by the Boko Haram crisis.
The Islamist group has killed an estimated 30 000 people and displaced more than 2 million others in the region.
Boko Haram is involved in a violent campaign to establish an Islamic state in the West African country.
– CAJ News