Enugu State Government has expressed concern over increasing incidences of mysterious deaths across the state.
Chairman, COVID-19 expert medical advisory committee on de-escalation of the outbreak, Prof. Emmanuel Ejim, disclosed this on Monday during its maiden press briefing in Enugu.
Ejim said that the mysterious deaths had necessitated the need for residents of the state to conduct personal risk assessment based on the possibility of being affected by COVID-19.
“COVID-19 is very much in the state in spite of the erroneous belief in some quarters that the virus is a scam, most of the deaths recorded in parts of the state are related to COVID-19.
“There is COVID-19 in Enugu State. The death rate is rising every day and they call it malaria but it is not malaria. The outbreak is a serious concern,” he said.
According to him, the death rate in the state is such that about three or four persons die daily at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Isolation Centre.
Ejim said that it had become imperative for the state government to invest in additional laboratories to increase the capacity and number of tests conducted in the state.
He said that at least 70 health workers had been affected by the virus.
“Enugu State has recorded 258 confirmed cases as at June 27, 2020 of which over 70 are health workers. The media do not seem to be telling people of what is going on in the state,” he said.
Ejim appealed to relevant authorities to allow the media access to the isolation centres in the state to highlight the condition of patients there.
He also said that the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 prompted the state governor to seek a broader and deeper collaboration with experts on how to de-escalate the outbreak.
