Four LASUTH nurses in isolation after death of COVID-19 patient

The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) says it has placed four of its nurses in isolation after their contact with a patient who died from complications of COVID-19.

In an interview with NAN, Tokunboh Fabamwo, chief medical director of LASUTH, said the step was taken in line with standard practice.

The hospital had earlier confirmed the death of a patient who tested positive for COVID-19, saying the patient died at its Institute of Maternal and Child Health (Ayinke House).

“All the doctors took precautions when attending to the patient. When the woman was about to die and was gasping for breath, the nurses rushed to her and tried to do pulmonary resuscitation on her,” Fabamwo said.

“They moved more closely to her. Though they were protected, we felt that because of that closeness, we should isolate them so that they won’t go home and be a risk to their families.”

He said the patient’s corpse had been evacuated with the usual protocol, and her husband’s blood sample had been taken for COVID-19 test.

The CMD added that they were waiting for the deceased husband’s test result.

He disclosed that the hospital would enhance its triage protocol far from the emergency centre, by erecting a tent to screen for temperatures of visitors and patients during visit to the health facility.

Fabamwo said anyone with high temperature would be isolated and handed over to officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The deceased patient, was said to be suffering from puerperal sepsis and was transferred from the Alimosho General Hospital to the emergency unit of LASUTH.

However, the patient died in the course of her treatment.

Although 50 patients have been discharged, Lagos has recorded four deaths out of its 174 confirmed COVID-19 cases.