Ekiti records first COVID-19 death — a new mother

The government of Ekiti has announced the death of a COVID-19 patient in the state.

Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, commissioner for health, said the patient died at the intensive care unit of Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, around 6:58am on Wednesday.

She said the victim is a 29-year-old community health worker and the third case recorded in the state.

The patient had been receiving medical care after she was delivered of her baby some days ago.

“The woman showed signs of stability on Monday but unfortunately her condition deteriorated yesterday and we lost her exactly 6:58am today (Wednesday),” she said.

On whether her body will be released to the family, Yaya-Kolade said the state will take standard precautions and comply with the World Health Organisation’s safety rules on the burial.

“We are going to liaise with the family on her burial. We are going to consider safety despite that there was the assumption that the virus is not active in corpse because we don’t know much about the virus,” she said.

“But whatever we are going to do won’t be against the interest of the family. But let me assure you that the state will also be on the side of safety.”

The commissioner said the state will proceed with its surveillance and engage the people on sensitisation to combat the disease.

Yaya-Kolade said the hospital where the patient died had been sanitised by the government, appealing to the public not to stigmatise the hospital because of the incident.

She added that all the 78 persons who had contacts with the deceased and the medical doctor, who was infected through her, had been traced and placed on isolation.

The state has confirmed four cases of COVID-19. Two of the cases have been discharged.