The Chairman Hadejia Local Government Council in Jigawa, Abdullahi Maikanti, has confirmed 47 deaths in seven days.

The council chairman said this was verified after a second audit on Tuesday.

However, Maikanti that the deceased were elderly people with pre-existing conditions and not related to COVID-19.

“After we conducted verbal autopsy and visited Gawuna and General Hospital burial grounds, we concluded that 47 people died from April 30 to May 6,” he said.

“The deceased were aged between 70 and 100 years, and had been battling with illnesses like hypertension, asthma, stroke, among others, for many years.

“In all our investigation, the deceased did not show symptoms of COVID-19.”

On prevention against the pandemic, the chairman said the council recently intercepted three buses that conveyed traders to a “wet market” in the area.

“Most of the traders came all the way from Bayelsa and Benue to buy frogs in the market,” he added.

“Our fear is that these people may carry the virus and infect our people in the market.

“But we later released the vehicles after their owners showed remorse and wrote an undertaking that they would steer clear of Hadejia and its markets for now.”

He said the council had intensified sensitisation of residents on social distancing, coughing and sneezing etiquette as well as the need for frequent hand washing.