The Management of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has announced that one of the three patients of COVID-19 in the state has died.
The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, said this in a statement obtained by NAN on Sunday.
The two surviving patients are currently being cared for 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.”
The CMD noted that healthcare workers are on the front line during this pandemic and at higher risk of being exposed than members of the public.
Nigeria now has nearly 230 cases.
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 disclosed that 13 of the 25 doctors were house officers, while about 12 were resident doctors.
ARD expressed displeasure with the hospital’s management over what it described as poor handling of coronavirus in the hospital.
The association said many health workers have complained of lack of personal protective equipment, like facemasks and hand sanitisers.
