In the past one week, Kano state has recorded a frighteningly high number of COVID-19 cases, a development that saw it leapfrog Abuja to become state with second highest number of active COVID-19 cases in the country.

For two days consecutively, the state recorded the highest number of cases, 80 on Thursday and 90 on Friday. Not even Lagos,  epicenter of the pandemic, has witnessed such deluge of cases in short period.

This surreal development has left the citizenry stupefied, wondering what could be responsible for this unexpected twist of event.

But the state government on Saturday offered a crucial insight into what is likely to be the cause of upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the state.

The government attributed swift spread of the insidious infection to high rate of community transmission.

Speaking on BBC Hausa, Nasiru Gwarzo, head of the presidential COVID-19 task force in Kano, said that a high rate of transmission, as shown by increased testing, is currently evident when compared to the former situation.

He said unlike before, about 80 percent of the samples received from communities in the state turned out positive for COVID-19.

Kano, which recorded its first case of the disease about three weeks ago, now has 311 confirmed cases, making it the second worst-hit state.

Since the index case, there have been reports of strange deaths in the state, 41 percent of which were found to have a symptom of COVID-19.

Gwarzo said the situation in Kano needs immediate intervention especially from stakeholders, as the disease is spreading to various areas.

“When about 100 samples are delivered, there are five to ten that are positive (for coronavirus),” he said.

“But now, when 100 samples are returned, about 80 are coronavirus cases.”

The official added that the restriction of movement has made it impossible for some persons in the state to travel abroad for medical treatment, and that some people are also staying away from the hospitals.

He said in addition to the increased testing capacity in the state, adequate personal protective gears are now being supplied to health workers.

Kano is currently under a two-week lockdown though Abdullahi Ganduje, the state governor, has appealed to the federal government to allow little movement.

“We are making this appeal on behalf of our people who are presently running out of food items,” he had said.

“We would love the federal government to relax the lockdown for a period of time to enable people stock their homes, especially now that majority of us are fasting. It will also ease the economic hardship in the state.”