Enugu State Government has confirmed the five new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the state which was announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday night.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, said in a statement on Friday that the patients were four health workers and a 43-year-old male, who had been admitted in one of the tertiary hospitals in the state.
“A 32-year-old female, who works as a cleaner in a private hospital, a 32-year-old female, who is a health worker in a private hospital in the state.
“A 33-year-old male, who is a medical doctor working in a private hospital in the state, a 35-year-old male, also a medical doctor in a private hospital in the state.
“These four cases of healthcare workers infection are contacts of an earlier reported confirmed case,” he said.
The commissioner said they have been part of the patient’s initial management before the state’s rapid response team was alerted.
“The fifth is a 43-year old male, who had been admitted as ill in one of the tertiary hospitals in the state and on a high index of suspicion; also the state team was contacted for the patient.
“Unfortunately, also, the State Ministry of Health confirms a secondand third deaths among the COVID-19 patients reported in Enugu,” he said.
The commissioner noted that the second death was the other male case reported as having been admitted at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) with a severe underlying medical condition.
He added that the patient also died before he could be transferred to the state’s isolation and treatment centre.
“The third death is of a male COVID-19 patient who had been admitted at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) Parklane Isolation and Treatment Centre, also with an underlying health condition,” he added.
Enugu now has 35 confirmed cases, 16 cases are active, 16 patients have been discharged while three have died.
