COVID-19: 113 Nigerian Health Workers Test Positive – Minister

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has revealed that about 113 health workers in Nigeria have, so far, tested positive for COVID-19.

Mr Ehanire last week announced that at least 40 health workers in Nigeria have tested positive to the virus.

He had said apart from the over 40 health workers there are others “who have been quarantined in the last 2 weeks due to exposure and have not been able to contribute to efforts of the health sector.”

On Thursday, Mr Ehanire while responding to questions at the daily Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing said the number of infected health workers has increased to 113, about 6 per cent of the total 1,728 infected persons.

“Latest figures we have is that there are about 113 people in the health sector infected with COVID-19. Although they are not all public health workers, there are good numbers from private hospitals,” he said.

He explained that only health care workers with training in infectious diseases control are eligible to handle COVID-19 patients.

“If you hear us speaking here frequently against trying to treat coronavirus in private clinics, we are actually referring to those people who do so without having necessary precautions and training because they risk infecting themselves and go home and give this infection to their family.

“Healthcare workers who have no training have no business handling coronavirus,” he said.

The federal government had earlier barred private hospitals from treating COVID-19 cases, saying many of the health workers there are not trained to handle such a disease.

At least 17 private hospitals in Lagos have admitted that their staff have been exposed to COVID-19 through patients.

The hospitals were subsequently barred from admitting any patients while their buildings were disinfected.

The federal government has now asked private hospitals willing to treat COVID-19 patients to register with their state’s health ministry and ensure proper training of staff.

As of April 29, a total of 1,728 persons have been confirmed to have COVID-19 in the country. Although 307 persons have been successfully treated and discharged, 51 deaths have been recorded.