Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin, Paul Orude, Bauchi, Agaju Madugba, Katsina, and Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Kwara State Government, yesterday said at least 75 persons who had contact with the two COVID-19 patients in the state were under contact-tracing in order to curb the spread in the state.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who stated this during a press briefing held at the Government House, Illorin, urged Kwarans to remain calm and vigilant.
“Yesterday evening, we got the result of two persons who tested positive for COVID-19 in Kwara State. One is the wife of the late patient who died at the University of Ilorin Teaching (UITH) and the second person is a diabetic patient who also had travel history and he has since gone to self-isolation with his wife.
“Our job is cut out for us and we are definitely not dropping the ball. Contact tracing by the Rapid Response Team of the medical advisory committee has so far netted 75 persons who have had contacts with the cases and the suspected case at UITH.”
He said the state is not helpless or without reasonable preparation about the outbreak of the pandemic.
“We urge Kwarans to avoid crowded space, isolate themselves and call our helplines if they have just returned from places of interest in the last three weeks.
‘‘The government is extending the ongoing fumigation exercise to all the places of interest, including the relevant locations in Offa and Ilorin, where contamination may have occurred as a result of how infectious the disease is.”he said.
Reacting to the case of Muideen Obanimomo at the University of Ilorin, Teaching Hospital, (UITH), who reportedly died of COVID-19, AbdulRahman said: “The government is utterly disappointed at the breach of trust that played out in the UITH case. Without prejudice to the internal investigation by UITH, we demand immediate suspension of Prof. Alakija Kazeem Salami and every other official of UITH whose professional misconducts brought us down this path pending the outcome of the ongoing probe.
Meanwhile, the UITH authorities have suspended Alakija Salami, a senior consultant at the hospital following the controversy surrounding a patient who died last Friday.
The hospital had been accused of covering up the circumstances that led to the death of the patient, a UK returnee.
Director of Administration, UITH, David Odaibo, in a statement said the management approved Salami’s suspension as a result of his conduct in the management of a COVID-19 patient.
“The Management of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital hereby suspends Prof A.K. Salami as a senior consultant in the hospital. This is as a result of his unethical conduct in the admission, management and eventual release of the corpse of a suspected COVID-19 patient who died in the hospital on the 3rd of April, 2020,” he said.
Odaibo said a 10-member investigation committee had been set up to look into the case.
ATBU invents ventilator, other treatment machines
Researchers at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi have developed a prototype of ventilator which is cost effective and efficient to treat coronavirus.
The team is made up of technologists and engineers and they have also fabricated an aerosol box that can be used to protect medical doctors and other health personnel treating COVID-19 positive patients from being infected by placing the box to cover the head, mouth and nose of the patient.
The ATBU researchers haver also developed an automatic spraying machine that can effectively disinfect anyone going in and coming out of a room.
Vice Chancellor of ATBU, Prof. Muhammad Abdulazeez, who conducted journalists round the invented machines, explained that the efforts was in line with the objectives of the university as a centre of research and invention over the years.
Abdulazeez said that considering the high cost of procuring ventilators and other equipment needed for the treatment of COVID-19, Lassa fever and other infectious diseases, the university decided to go into deep research and was able to come out with prototypes of the machines.
The VC said that the lack of funds was the major impediment to the mass production of the machines and called on government at all levels to contact the Mechatronics Engineering Department of the University for mass production of the machines at a moderate cost.
Abdulazeez commended the team that worked day and night to ensure the production of the machines.
“We are not doing this to make profit, but to contribute to the fight against infectious diseases, particularly COVID-19 and Lassa fever. Despite the ASUU strike and other issues, these people came out to ensure that we got to this point. They have demonstrated that they are patriotic Nigeria and have the people at heart. We are indeed grateful to them,” he said.
The VC expressed confidence that the machines could stand the test of time, saying “our people are qualified professionals who have been tested and certified”.
Katsina medical doctor dies of COVID-19
Katsina State Government has recorded its first COVID-19 fatality following the death of a medical doctor in Daura, the hometown of President Muhammed Buhari, last Saturday.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari, who confirmed it at a press briefing at the Government House, yesterday, said Dr. Aliyu Yakubu, proprietor of a private hospital in Daura, had travelled to his home state, Kogi from where he proceeded to Lagos and returned to his Daura base and after three days was hospitalised.
“He was hospitalised at the Air Force Reference Hospital, Daura and he died two hours after admission. His samples were taken to the NCDC facility in Abuja and he was diagnosed to be COVID-19 positive. Before his death, he had herpatitise and he was also hypertensive.
“Our medical response team are in Daura now trying to get all persons the late doctor interacted with or had contact with since he returned to Daura,” he said.