Records first death, discharges 6 patients
The Bayelsa State Task Force on Covid-19 has confirmed nine fresh cases of Coronavirus and one recorded death in the state, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 21.
Confirming the new cases and death in a statement on Monday, the Vice-Chairman of the state Covid-19 Task Force and Permanent Secretary State Ministry of Health, Dr. Inodu Akpoku, disclosed that two of the patients are in critical condition, adding that six of out of the nine cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases while three are not epidemiologically linked to any of the previously confirmed cases.
He further disclosed that the state has discharged six patients as on Sunday after their repeat tests turned negative bringing the total number of discharged patients to nine with eleven active cases.
Akpoku said: “Yesterday, the NCDC in its usual manner announced 307 new confirmed COVID -19 cases. Nine of these cases were samples from Bayelsa. These results are coming from a backlog of 62 samples sent to the UPTH COVID -19 laboratory last week.
“Two of these fresh unlinked cases are critically ill and were on admission in our public Hospitals for other underlying illnesses (one had undergone sessions of dialysis) even before samples were collected for COVID -19 testing at the instances of the consulting teams in collaboration with the State COVID -19 Rapid Response Team. The third unlinked case is a Health Care Professional.
“All nine new cases have since been evacuated for further treatment at our Isolation facilities. All their contacts are being line listed and adequately followed up including necessary environmental decontamination. Samples have and are still being collected from their high -risk contacts while they have all been counselled on self-quarantine. Risk communication and community engagement are ongoing.
“This makes a total of nine cases that have been discharged from our Isolation facilities. Currently, we have eleven active cases of COVID -19 in the State. All cases except the two cases who were previously on admission for other underlying illnesses are in stable clinical conditions. “Unfortunately, we recorded a death last week. The patient who was initially responding to treatment suddenly developed severe shortness of breath.
All attempts to salvage him proved abortive even with the intensive and delicate procedures that were administered by the attending medical personnel. He has since been buried by the Bayelsa State COVID -19 Safe Burial team and witnessed by relatives, friends, and colleagues.
“We discharged three cases during the past week. One case was discharged on Saturday, and the two other cases (including the doctor) were discharged just yesterday after all their repeat tests returned negative and patients’ clinical statuses had met other criteria for discharge.”