UBTH confirms death of COVID-19 patient as 25 doctors go into isolation

The Management of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) said Sunday one of the three coronavirus cases in the hospital had died.

The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, disclosed this in a statement in Benin.

He said: “The two surviving patients are currently being cared for by our dedicated staff in an isolation ward, with restricted access.

“Prior to the confirmation of their COVID-19 status, some of our healthcare staffers were exposed to these patients while using only personal protection equipment, such as surgical face-masks and gloves.

“Currently all the members of staff, who are exposed to these patients, are asymptomatic and they are being monitored closely, according to the current guidelines.

“Further measures have been put in place to ensure that our workers are not unduly exposed to risks of infection with COVID-19 in the course of their providing care for patients who come to the hospital for various reasons.

“Healthcare workers are on the frontline during this pandemic and are, therefore, at higher risk of being exposed than the general public.”

He said the management and staff of UBTH had been observing standard precautions at all times to prevent the spread of the disease.

READ ALSO: Nigeria records 10 new cases of COVID-19, total now 224

“I crave the support and understanding of the general public, as we fight this raging battle to contain and curb COVID-19,” the CMD added.

Meanwhile, the Association of Residents Doctor (ARD), UBTH chapter, in a statement, said 25 medical doctors, who had contact with the patients, had gone on mandatory self-isolation.

The association said 13 of the 25 doctors were house officers, while 12 others were resident doctors.

ARD, however, expressed displeasure with the hospital’s management over its poor handling of coronavirus in the hospital.

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