The Enugu State Government has announced five new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total number to 35.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, announced this in a statement in Enugu on Friday.

Obi said that the patients were four healthcare workers and a 43-year-old male, who had been admitted as ill in one of the tertiary hospitals in the state.

“A 32-year-old female, who works as a cleaner in a private hospital, a 32-year-old female, who is a health worker in a private hospital in the state.

“A 33-year-old male, who is a medical doctor working in a private hospital in the state, a 35-year-old male, also a medical doctor in a private hospital in the state.

“These four cases of healthcare workers infection are contacts of an earlier reported confirmed case,” he said.

According to him, they have been part of the patient’s initial management before the state’s rapid response team was alerted.

“The fifth is a 43-year old male, who had been admitted as ill in one of the tertiary hospitals in the state and on a high index of suspicion; also the state team was contacted for the patient.

“Unfortunately, also, the State Ministry of Health confirms second and third death among the COVID-19 patients reported in Enugu,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the second death was the other male case reported as having been admitted at the University of Nigeria Teaching

Hospital (UNTH) with a severe underlying medical condition.

He added that the patient also died before he could be transferred to the state’s isolation and treatment centre.

“The third death is of a male COVID-19 patient who had been admitted at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) Parklane Isolation and Treatment Centre, also with an underlying health condition,” he added.

According to him, the update on COVID-19 cases in Enugu is that 35 cases have been reported, 16 cases are active, 16 cases have been discharged with three deaths. (NAN)

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