Two discharged COVID -19 patients in Delta State have relived their harrowing experiences and how they were delivered from the clutches of the pandemic.
They are the index case in the state, Chief Austin Eruotor, a prominent multiple tittle holder and the fourth victim, Jerry Azinge, a lawyer even as a 3-month baby has been diagnosed with the virus in the state.
Speaking at a press conference addressed by the Commissioner for health, Dr Mordi Ononye on Friday in Asaba, the duo emphasised the reality of the virus contrary to the erroneous belief that the disease is not here in Nigeria.
They also advised that it was important for early diagnosis and for those affected to get early treatment as Covid-19 came in different forms and symptoms
According to Chief Eruotor, now COVID-19 ambassador of Delta State who spent 36 days in isolation centre, he embarked on self-medication to treat acute malaria accompanied with high temperature, coughing and sneezing for days.
He said he was later diagnosed with the virus at the State University Teaching Hospital Oghara where he was fed with a sumptuous meal free for the days he spent at the isolation centre.
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“I am a living legend…l have been healed…COVID-19 is real. As COVID-19 ambassador, I take the message to markets and other public places sharing experiences that the disease is real but not a death sentence,” Chief Eruotor explained.
On his part, Barr. Azinge who shared a similar experience said that rather than people keeping away from him since he was discharged from hospital, it was he that has been keeping away from people adding that there were bases for stigmatization.
Earlier, Commissioner for health, Dr Ononye, disclosed that paediatricians were taking care of the 3-month-old child who tested positive and expressed optimism that the baby would get better and be discharged.
The mother of the child, he stated, also tested positive for the disease.
He said that the state currently had 116 confirmed cases of the pandemic, with 31 discharged and 77 active cases.
“We have recorded eight deaths which are about seven per cent fatality rate and have conducted 850 tests and have received 7, 708 calls on our hotlines.
“We have investigated 850 suspects and at present, 13 health workers have been infected.
“No one should doubt that Covid-19 is real; there are confirmed cases in 13 local government areas of the state and 66 per cent of those affected are males while 34 per cent are females, with a bed occupancy rate of 48 per cent,” Ononye said.
He affirmed the commitment of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration to curbing the spread of the virus in the state and appealed to the media to assist in creating more awareness of the pandemic.
He disclosed that a lot of the patients still at the Isolation Centres were waiting to be discharged as they had been tested two times and found negative after treatment.
Secretary to the State Government, Mr Chiedu Ebie, announced that the curfew of 7 p.m to 6 a.m imposed in the state by the government was still in force and urged Deltans to obey safety measures set by the government to check the spread of the virus.
“COVID-19 is real and you don’t need the government to pursue you to obey set protocols; we ensure that boundaries across the state are monitored, though, it has not been an easy task because some people just want to flout government’s directives.
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