No fewer than 11 health workers, including four doctors and three nurses at the Randle General Hospital, Surulere, Lagos State, have been tested for the COVID-19 infection after having contact with a dead patient.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported that a 65-year-old woman, identified as Iyabo, was admitted to the hospital last Sunday.
The petty trader, who also had diabetes, was said to have been treated before some doctors insisted that she be tested for the coronavirus.
She was later taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, where she was rejected after the medical officers allegedly said she did not fit a COVID-19 case.
The woman, who was also hypertensive, was returned to Randle where she died.
Apprehensive workers at the hospital were later informed that the result of the NCDC test confirmed that she was positive.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, had said 13 medical personnel had contact with the woman, adding that they would be tested.
Our source said the tests had been done, adding that the results were being awaited.
Asked if the affected workers had been isolated, the source said they were told to continue working against the protocol of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
“Eleven health workers, who were deemed to be primary contacts, did the test on Monday. Among them were four doctors and three nurses.
“But the surprising thing is that instead of isolating them till the result of the tests comes out, they are asking them to continue working,” the source said.
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Aduke Odutayo, only asked all those who went for the test to stay away from work on Thursday.
“This is after 10 days that some of the affected workers had been coming to the hospital,” the source said.
After our correspondent called the MD for her reaction, she said she was driving and would call back.
Hours later, she did not call back neither did she take our correspondent’s calls.