By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe, has called for calm amidst fears that workers in the hospital may have contracted Coronavirus from an index case that was admitted to the health institution.

The CMD had in a short message on Saturday announced that a patient who was admitted to the institution on Wednesday tested positive to Covid-19.

Speaking at Nnewi, Igwegbe said that having an index case did not warrant sending the health workers on self isolation saying that the situation was handled professionally.

He said: “NAUTH recorded its first positive confirmed Covid-19 case on Saturday, May 23, 2020 following the release of the result by NCDC.

“The patient was brought to the hospital last Wednesday and his specimen on suspicion, taken to test which turned out to be positive as declared by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC). He was admitted into isolation ward following proper triage on presentation on May 20. Specimen for test was taken the following day and sent to Irrua.

“The patient, an Onitsha-based business man was immediately moved to one of the isolation centres in the state for appropriate care.”

While insisting that all the necessary precautions were taken, Igwegbe explained that all the medical personnel that attended to the index case used Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs)

He assured that the hospital would remain vigilant