TheCable

Benson Abounu, deputy governor of Benue state, says five medical doctors and three health workers are among the 47 cases of COVID-19 in the state.

Abounu, who is also the chairman of the state action committee on coronavirus, said the confirmed cases include 26 males and 21 females.

“We have recorded 47 cases so far in Benue. Of the number, three doctors and two ambulance drivers directly involved in taking samples and conveying to Abuja for testing have been infected,” he said.

“While the other two doctors infected are not directly working with us and then one worker at one of our emergency centres also tested positive for coronavirus.”

Abounu said the first casualty of the disease in the state may have contracted it while on admission for leukemia at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) where he underwent major surgery.

He said the deceased, who had access to family members and caregivers, started coughing three days to his demise and his samples were taken to Abuja for a test which returned positive.

“He had a major surgical operation 20 days ago and was managed for that issue,” Abounu said.

“It was Leukemia. Three days to his demise, he started coughing and we took his sample to Abuja which result returned positive on Tuesday evening, a day after he gave up the ghost on Monday.

“The belief is that while he was in the hospital, he contracted COVID-19 because he was managed at the general ward and people, relations among others were coming to see him.”

The deputy governor added that the committee had already traced 56 health workers who came into contact with the deceased while he was hospitalised and that over 100 people, including relatives, believed to have had contact with him, have been traced.

He complained that the abuse of the interstate travel ban is also one of the reasons for the rising COVID-19 cases in the state.