Coronavirus: UBTH confirms 3 cases, 1 death, as 25 doctors go into isolation
The Management of University of Benin
Teaching Hospital (UBTH) says one of the three patients, who was
confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19, has died.
The
Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, disclosed
this in a statement made available to Newsmen on Sunday in Benin.
"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 whilst 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 staffers 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", Obaseki said.
He
said the management and staff of UBTH had been observing standard
precautions at all times to prevent the spread of the disease.
"I
crave the support and understanding of the general public, as we fight
this raging battle to contain and curb COVID-19", he said.
Meanwhile,
the Association of Residents Doctor (ARD), UBTH chapter, in a
statement, said that 25 medical doctors, who had contact with the
patients, had gone on mandatory self-isolation.
The association said that13 of the 25 doctors were house officers, while about 12 were resident doctors.
ARD,
however, expressed displeasure with the hospital's management over what
it described as poor handling of Coronavirus in the hospital.
According
to the association, many of the health workers have complained of lack
of personal protective equipment, like face masks and hand sanitisers.
A
medical source, who pleaded anonymity, said that the Coronavirus crisis
in the hospital started when three patients, who had earlier tested
negative for the virus, were declared positive after further test.
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