A third employee of the World Health Organization (WHO) has tested positive for coronavirus in Bauchi State.
Information Officer, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Ibrahim Sani, confirmed this as part of three fresh cases received from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday night.
The others, according to Mr Sani, are returnees from Lagos State.
A WHO official had first tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. A second official was confirmed positive on Tuesday.
The latest cases bring the total active cases in the state to six.
“It is true that Bauchi has three new cases. As you know, so far, five patients have recovered and have been discharged. With this new development, there are now six active cases in the state, with no death,” Mr Sani said.
He added that the latest infected WHO official is a contact of the first case in the state.
Sani said the three new patients are receiving treatment at the state isolation facility.
Healthcare providers are increasingly becoming exposed to the virus.
Recall that two doctors, Emeka Chugbo and Dominic Essien died from complications related to COVID-19 last week.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, admitted this danger and cautioned health workers to ensure safety precautions are taken when treating any patient.
”This warning has become necessary due to the number of health workers who have tested positive for COVID-19, They are over forty now, ” he said on Thursday during the daily Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing.
He 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.”
