COVID-19: Delta confirms sixth death, urges private health workers to be more circumspect

The Delta State government has confirmed its sixth COVID-19 death which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, at the Central Hospital, Warri.

The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday. 

He said the 78-year-old male deceased, which was the 28th case, was referred unconscious from a private hospital in Warri to the COVID-19 Treatment Center, Central Hospital Warri by 2:00a.m on Wednesday.

The patient, he added, had been in the private hospital for days before he was referred to the treatment Centre where he died within three hours of arrival.

Mr Ononye said that since the index case of COVID-19 was reported on April 7, 2020, the state has now recorded a total of 28 cases which were from the 425 persons tested so far in the state.

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He explained that five of the recorded deaths were between 47 and 78 years of age and they all had one pre-existing illness or the other, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension and chronic liver or kidney disease. 

He explained further that one of the deaths was that of a young man of 20 years who had been suffering from a blood cancer and anaemic heart failure that frequently took him to hospital for treatment, including blood transfusions.

As of date, the state has recorded 28 confirmed cases, 6 deaths, 12 discharges and 10 active cases still being managed in the state’s treatment centers.

“It is obvious from the recorded deaths that the most vulnerable persons among us are those who have pre-existing illnesses and are elderly.

“They, therefore, need special protection, first, by themselves and then by the public,” he admonished.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ononye has urged private healthcare providers to have a high index of suspicion with all patients as strategic partners of the state government in the containment of the spread of COVID-19.

He stated that suspected cases should be promptly referred to COVID-19 taskforce for immediate and further evaluation of status of the patients.

“All healthcare providers, public and private, must observe standard precautions in their approach to all patients so that they can relate to the patients confidently and treat all of them with the dignity the patients deserve.  

“The Delta State government is doing everything possible to protect Deltans from the COVID-19 pandemic and we plead for the cooperation of all Deltans to defeat the virus,” he pleaded.